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Do You Believe That The Modern "Tipping" Culture Has Gone Completely Out Of Control? (1/30) (1 Viewer)

GordonGekko

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Direct Headline: ‘No tip, no trip’: DoorDasher shows piles of orders sitting on restaurant counter, says it’s a result of non-tipping customers

By Braden Bjella Feb 6, 2023, 9:15 am CST

Amongst DoorDash drivers, there is a common saying: “no tip, no trip.” This means exactly what it sounds like. If a customer orders an item and does not tip, many DoorDash drivers will simply ignore the order as waiting for more profitable orders better serves their interests....Many users on TikTok have shared the alleged consequences of this mantra to viral success. One user claimed a pile of orders without tips was sitting for 4 hours owing to the fact that no one wanted to deliver them. Another video showed a pile-up of pick-up McDonald’s orders also allegedly caused by a lack of tips.

“If u don’t wanna tip, get it urself! Simple!” a user exclaimed.....“My daughter works for doordash and she gets paid like $2.00 per hour so her salary is based off of tips,” explained a third. “Also, rate your driver if you can!”...However, other users pointed out issues with the logic of “no tip, no trip.”....“What if they tip good but the person brings cold food? Or even steals food?” asked a commenter. “That’s why people don’t tip BEFORE. I always tip cash afterwards.”....“I don’t tip anymore bc the drivers sucked so bad but when they actually do a good job I give them cash when they come,” claimed a second....Some even shared their belief that the anger of Dashers against non-tippers is misguided....“We need to do away with the tip system and start holding these restaurant corporations responsible for liveable wages,” concluded an additional TikToker. “This is SO crazy!”


https://www.dailydot.com/irl/doordasher-shows-piles-of-non-tipping-orders/



Direct Headline: Some Bay Area Restaurants Add ‘Wellness Fee' to Their Menus

By Scott Budman July 16, 2021

Several eateries say the price of getting everything is going up, including good employees and at some point, they need to pass that cost on the customers. A restaurant in San Mateo has only been open for three weeks, and it’s already dealing with new economic realities. "It's the cost of the high wages in the Bay Area," said Marr Levin, co-owner of Refuge Restaurant. He said rising inflation means everything he serves costs more and it also means the wages he pays need to go up just to attract enough employees....

...So now, Refuge adds what it calls a 2% "wellness fee" to its bottom line. Literally, the bottom line on its menu....Pinstripes, a nearby restaurant and bowling alley, is also dealing with rising costs, and has decided on a wellness fee of 3%....And the county says it understands the economic realities, and hopes businesses are honest about what they're charging...."If business owners choose to do it, they need to be extremely transparent up front,” said David Canepa, San Mateo County supervisor. “And they need to say, within their wellness fee, what the wellness fee is for....."

Some Bay Area restaurants said that in addition to offering higher wages, they plan to bring workers back by offering extra benefits, including a healthcare package.


https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loc...ants-add-wellness-fee-to-their-menus/2595888/



Direct Headline: ‘Guilt Tipping’: Pressure to tip everywhere has gotten out of control

By Alex Mitchell April 8, 2022

...Paying via tablet is now the convenient norm at pizzerias, coffee shops, fast food joints and other quick-service spots across the city, but the gadgets are quick to ask if you want to add a healthy gratuity to your order. Touchscreens typically prompt patrons to leave a tip ranging from 18 to 30% — and sometimes even higher — when they grab and go....Occasionally, the prompts replace the old tip jar — upping the ante on what was customarily a tossed buck or some loose change. But in many instances, patrons are being pressured to pony up at places where they’ve never been expected to tip before — say, for waiting on line for their burgers and fries at Five Guys. And they’re not happy about the sudden ubiquity of gratuity gouging....“I was somewhere spending $23 on just coffee and pastries and the suggested tip was another $8 and I simply said no way. I’ll give a dollar or so as a custom tip amount, but let’s have a reality check here,” said Jared Goodman, a 26-year-old recruiter who lives in Brooklyn. “Recently I got a quick bite with my girlfriend and the suggested tip amounts were 25, 35 and even 40%. That’s just insane....”

....Helen Suskin, a consultant from the Upper East Side, told The Post that even though she tips regularly on everything from coffee to baked goods, her generosity isn’t exactly coming from the heart. When you order from a counter, she said, “there is no added service,” yet she feels compelled to leave a gratuity anyway. “You can call that guilt tipping.”...Others, however, say they won’t be cowed by the machines....“I don’t tip people who just are doing their jobs by doing counter work,” Chelsea resident Stanley Vogel said, adding that he always tips servers at full-service restaurants. But, “like in a bakery if they’re just giving me a loaf of bread, I’m not gonna tip ’em for that … I never tip people who are counter people that just bring me something I can get myself.”

....In New York City, restaurant servers often make below minimum wage, and patrons are expected to reward their hard work with tips that will augment their salaries. Yet “fast food” workers — a legal category that includes baristas and cashiers — are guaranteed the full minimum wage of $15 an hour....The popular electronic payment process system Square lets business owners dole out the electronic tips in a variety of ways: It could go directly to the person who processed the transaction or it might be pooled across staff, either per transaction (i.e., a $5 tip would yield $1 for five eligible employees) or by hours worked.

...But, unlike the old days when you might directly hand a 10-spot to your server, nobody seems to have a handle on where the counter-service tips go exactly....Still, they say technology makes it awkward....“I used to go to this butcher shop all the time and I never tipped in the jar. I was friendly with all the guys — but I never tipped,” Sholder said. “Now it comes up [digitally] and it feels like, ‘Oh, he’s a cheapskate, he didn’t tip.’ It puts pressure on me so I really don’t like it, I feel it should be more voluntary.”....When “you’re just pushing a button,” she said, there’s less appreciation from the staff. “You don’t get a lot of ‘Wow, thanks so much!’ It’s just kind of like there’s an expectation from their side.”

....The Post called four locations of Five Guys to ask how gratuities are divided among staffers. Two managers said they were “not sure exactly how,” while the other two declined to respond....“I’m skeptical of the whole thing,” said former busboy Bryan Reilly, 24, of Massapequa, Long Island. “It feels like it’s becoming my responsibility to make up for their workers being paid so little....


https://nypost.com/2022/04/08/guilt-tipping-pressure-to-tip-has-gotten-out-of-control/


*********



So I'm going to start a topic that is designed to increase discussion and participation in the FFA.

There have been some generally widespread changes in "tipping" in terms of take out food and restaurants, what are your own experiences and opinions on these changes? What do you find good or bad about them?

I can see the situation from two angles. I had a half ownership stake in a restaurant for about two years long ago. But, to be fair, it was long time ago. Obviously some issues within the industry never change and some have changed dramatically. I also see it from the perspective of someone who has been both dead broke and also did better financially later on from the customer side, but still again, someone in an age bracket where exposure to crowds changes the threat risk for COVID19. That's another practical consideration, particularly for older potential customers.

Then another issue is where are these tips going? Can anyone be sure that the money is going to the working class people who need it the most and have these tough front line jobs? Is there a hard line being crossed about some folks feeling "pressure" to give a tip? Do some feel they are being asked to subsidize expenses that should already be implied in the purchase price? Do some see this as a way to cook off lower prices on the menu but to squeeze out people on the back end? And certainly lots of small businesses have been financially hurting, many already wiped out, especially in the restaurant/food industry in the past several years, much of it coming from pandemic related issues.

I am more interested in looking at the cultural/social aspect of this issue and NOT any issue dovetailing into overall public policy in any specific area. And to gauge how people here feel about it from their own experience(s).

I'll leave this here for others to discuss. (1/30)
 
Am 47 yrs old and have been working in the food and beverage industry since I was 14. Everything from fast food, pizza delivery all restaurant positions, bars and nightclubs to hotel events. Positions starting from a fry cook at McDonalds to owning my own restaurant. My entire adult life has revolved around the service industry and still does to this day. I mention all that to provide context.

I can say unequivocally the tipping expectations and guilting has gotten way out of hand.
 
I tip people making minimum wage who have a good attitude. I tip cash right in their hand. I tip servers cash too even if I use a card to pay the bill. I never tip through a self order kiosk.

I have never used doordash or uber eats, I have had pizza delivered maybe 3 times in my life. I pickup takeout for my wife once or twice a month. I usually tip a couple bucks if it's just food for her, maybe five dollars if we both get something. If someone has a good attitude they get more, if they are uncool they reap what they sow.
 
Definitely.

The regular system is breaking down for the tipped service industry as well. Servers and bartenders are making the same money they were 20 years ago. You can make the same money in other jobs, with guaranteed hours.
 
I tip well because I can afford it and the people I'm tipping generally need the $ more than I do.

This is usually where I'm at as well. But i definitely feel like some places apply the guilt via the electronic payment system. And there certainly is no guarantee that the kid working at the counter (or whoever) is actually getting the money. For all I know, the owner is just pocketing it.

If I just stop into a restaurant for 2 mins to grab a couple of slices (bringing them home to heat up, so literally all they're doing is putting a slice of pizza in a box) I dont really think I should feel pressured to tip. But when you swipe your card and that big gratuity selector comes up, its tough to hit the "no" button when you're staring them right in the face.
 
But, unlike the old days when you might directly hand a 10-spot to your server, nobody seems to have a handle on where the counter-service tips go exactly...

THIS - I don’t like to tip for counter service but what happens to those tips when I go to my sushi place? I tend to tip a little over 20% because I hoping that money goes to the sushi chefs, not right into the owners pockets.
 
I over-tip on food deliveries to minimize the amount of bodily fluids in my food.
Same here, and on grocery deliveries (still recovering from spinal fusion surgery). The delivery people appreciate it and speeds up delivery times because drivers know who tips.
And the few times I'm at bars I pay for each drink separately and tip well, and get stronger drinks and better service.
You get what you pay for.
 
I remember there was a thread about this when I was living in NY and at the time I didn't see it too much. But now living in Boise, it is everywhere! I'm usually in the 20% range normally but I've decided to hold myself to no tip if all they're doing is putting something in a bag for me. I still cave from time to time but have gotten better at holding the line.
 
I remember there was a thread about this when I was living in NY and at the time I didn't see it too much. But now living in Boise, it is everywhere! I'm usually in the 20% range normally but I've decided to hold myself to no tip if all they're doing is putting something in a bag for me. I still cave from time to time but have gotten better at holding the line.
I wish I could. My life in the industry doesn’t allow that. The guilt is just to strong.
 
I've been working in tipping culture for my whole life. I don't tip for over counter.

But some do.

Back when some people carry cash, they give the change, or a buck, at the counter person. Now it's all cashless, if people want to tip the change, the tip option on the screen allows that.

If you think of it as an option for those that want to tip, you can feel better about not tipping. It's not expected in those places, it's an option some people want.

Guilt trip into tipping is something people decided was happening. Doesn't mean that's what IS happening. You have dinner in a restaurant five days in a row without tipping, I'll ask you not to come back. You have five coffee in a week and don't tip, I'll thank you for being a steady customer.
 
Tipping for counter service is stupid. Especially takeout counter

Agreed. What's the call on coffee though? Part of me thinks they're like bartenders and deserve a tip.
In some states bartenders are making the minimum $2.13 for tipped employees. Baristas are typically making at least minimum wage.


Updated: Jan 04 2023

Starbucks recently announced a new minimum wage of $15 per hour, with an average wage of $17 per hour.


 
Automatic car wash the other day...one of those with the "free vacuums" after you run through the little building. There was a young worker there by the self pay kiosk. Having someone else there made the cars ahead of me take longer than I think a person would have (maybe not all people). But when I got up there he was generally nice...but seemed to be there for zero reason as picking what wash you want, and paying is pretty self explanatory. Then he gets passed the options I said to skip and gets to "would you like to add a tip for the workers today?".

Never going to that carwash again. They did nothing. No spray on the front to brush and remove bugs...just helped at the kiosk (which I did not need), and watched as people pulled their cars in.
 
Are people seeing the tip button at Starbucks? Can't recall it
Starbucks is on the list of places I've never patronized and have no desire to do so. However their wages represent what the mom and pop shops are competing with when looking for baristas.
 
"Wellness" was already such a stupid, catch-all, feel-good marketing word. Now there's a wellness fee at restaurants? :rolleyes:

If you can print out new menus with that fee in small print on the bottom, you can print out new menus with 2% added to the cost of each menu item instead.
 
At some point, the model was broken. It used to be we all knew who lived on tips and the thought was you should tip well for good service, rewarding folks who were great. That was supposed to help retain quality workers while helping to wash out the subpar servers. Sounds great in theory. I'm not sure that is happening anymore at traditional sit-down restaurants. However, I don't think this part of the model is as broken as the newer services that rely on tips, or services that never involved tips that now ask for them.

Door dashers are getting stiffed frequently. I see the disgruntled dasher's posts on social media from time to time. Don't people know the model is for the delivery guys to get a tip? Meanwhile, places like Five Guys are asking for tips. Why are places asking for tips when the employees are supposedly not relying on tips for salary, and have never previously involved tipping? That just adds confusion about when to tip.

I want to believe the cheapskates who don't pay door dashers just don't know they need the tips. If they do know, and refuse to give a tip, they get what they deserve as far as slow or non-delivery. But the places like Five Guys? No way, they have totally confused the issue and are part of the problem.
 
I want to believe the cheapskates who don't pay door dashers just don't know they need the tips. If they do know, and refuse to give a tip, they get what they deserve as far as slow or non-delivery.

Part of the problem is all the added on delivery and service fees. It used to be I'd get a pizza delivered, pay the $20 for the pizza and give a $5 tip. Now they also charge a $5 delivery fee. With Uber Eats the fees are even more outrageous. I still tip but those fees have definitely cut into my generosity and I'm sure others figure those fees are going to the driver.
 
Door Dash service and the like has huge markups not just for the service itself, but they mark up the food too. Once you get the final bill they want you to tip 20% on top of everything. For a small total you can be looking at 40% or in some cases up to 100% tip for Chipotle. If they enforced a minimum ticket total it would help I think, but it's not cheap tippers that are the biggest issue for that side.
 
At some point, the model was broken. It used to be we all knew who lived on tips and the thought was you should tip well for good service, rewarding folks who were great. That was supposed to help retain quality workers while helping to wash out the subpar servers. Sounds great in theory. I'm not sure that is happening anymore at traditional sit-down restaurants. However, I don't think this part of the model is as broken as the newer services that rely on tips, or services that never involved tips that now ask for them.

This in a nutshell.

The counter-service tip creep has been especially pernicious. Proprietors often blame modern payment-processing software that treats everyone with a Square as a waiter or bartender. There's no real incentive for these counter-service places to modify the software to skip the tip part, either (could also be a technical challenge for many).
 
You have dinner in a restaurant five days in a row without tipping, I'll ask you not to come back....

Why?
you know why. I'm not going to type out what everyone already knows, so you can post a response I won't read, so let's pretend I stated what everyone already knows, and you can abuse that keyboard further.

"So I'm going to start a topic that is designed to increase discussion and participation in the FFA."


*****

The purpose of this thread is to take a common situation for many people and ask people their experiences and viewpoints.

So, no, I don't know "why" from your viewpoint. It's entirely possible someone here, or several people, can take new insight or perspective from what you have to say. Or not. Either way, it's an opportunity for you to share your thoughts with the community.

Take that opportunity. Or don't.

How do you know that "everyone already knows"?

I had an ownership stake in a restaurant before. These kind of things can be complex or have layers of context beyond the surface level.

You said you won't bother to read this response, so I'll use this post to address everyone else - I encourage everyone else to share their unique viewpoints. Maybe the discussion will reveal some factors that others haven't considered yet. There can be sustained valuable dialogue here regarding this topic.
 
Part of the problem is all the added on delivery and service fees. It used to be I'd get a pizza delivered, pay the $20 for the pizza and give a $5 tip. Now they also charge a $5 delivery fee. With Uber Eats the fees are even more outrageous. I still tip but those fees have definitely cut into my generosity and I'm sure others figure those fees are going to the driver.

I can't bring myself to ever pull the trigger on using Door Dash, Uber Eats, etc. until the business model matures and this kind of stuff gets resolved. Right now, with high delivery fees and high tip expectations ... the prevailing food-delivery price point dictates that I should ALWAYS pick up my own food. I'm sure my patronage is no loss, though.
 
You have dinner in a restaurant five days in a row without tipping, I'll ask you not to come back....

Why?
you know why. I'm not going to type out what everyone already knows, so you can post a response I won't read, so let's pretend I stated what everyone already knows, and you can abuse that keyboard further.

"So I'm going to start a topic that is designed to increase discussion and participation in the FFA."


*****

The purpose of this thread is to take a common situation for many people and ask people their experiences and viewpoints.

So, no, I don't know "why" from your viewpoint. It's entirely possible someone here, or several people, can take new insight or perspective from what you have to say. Or not. Either way, it's an opportunity for you to share your thoughts with the community.

Take that opportunity. Or don't.

How do you know that "everyone already knows"?

I had an ownership stake in a restaurant before. These kind of things can be complex or have layers of context beyond the surface level.

You said you won't bother to read this response, so I'll use this post to address everyone else - I encourage everyone else to share their unique viewpoints. Maybe the discussion will reveal some factors that others haven't considered yet. There can be sustained valuable dialogue here regarding this topic.

Everybody, and I mean everybody, knows that wait staff do not make minimum wage. That's the reason.
 
At some point, the model was broken. It used to be we all knew who lived on tips and the thought was you should tip well for good service, rewarding folks who were great. That was supposed to help retain quality workers while helping to wash out the subpar servers. Sounds great in theory. I'm not sure that is happening anymore at traditional sit-down restaurants. However, I don't think this part of the model is as broken as the newer services that rely on tips, or services that never involved tips that now ask for them.

This in a nutshell.

The counter-service tip creep has been especially pernicious. Proprietors often blame modern payment-processing software that treats everyone with a Square as a waiter or bartender. There's no real incentive for these counter-service places to modify the software to skip the tip part, either (could also be a technical challenge for many).

I got a couple of slices of pizza from a place in the mall the other day. I know, I know, but it's a locally-owned place with actual good pizza. Anyway, the guy popped the slices in the oven and got me checked out with one of those Square doodads. When the tip option popped up, I was about to put in a custom tip of $1 (I didn't have a chance to see the %'s shown) when the guy swiped something in the back and it disappeared. He just smiled at me, said thanks, and told me they'd be ready in a couple of minutes.
Yeah, I appreciated the heck out of that dude. I mean, they probably account for this with their prices, but still.
 
I had an ownership stake in a restaurant before. These kind of things can be complex or have layers of context beyond the surface level
Not really. Restaurant owners have taken every opportunity to steal tips, and subsidize other positions whom they don't want to pay a livable wage. The push to do away with tipping has been led BY RESTAURANT OWNERS. This is completely a fact, and why would they lead a charge that would take money out of their staffs pocket? Really only one reason.
I'm in restaurants 30 years my friend, in three countries, seven cities. Haven't run across any layers of context.

You want to be obtuse about restaurant servers, knock yourself out.
 
I had an ownership stake in a restaurant before. These kind of things can be complex or have layers of context beyond the surface level
Not really. Restaurant owners have taken every opportunity to steal tips, and subsidize other positions whom they don't want to pay a livable wage. The push to do away with tipping has been led BY RESTAURANT OWNERS. This is completely a fact, and why would they lead a charge that would take money out of their staffs pocket? Really only one reason.
I'm in restaurants 30 years my friend, in three countries, seven cities. Haven't run across any layers of context.

You want to be obtuse about restaurant servers, knock yourself out.


In the three different countries you operated in, what were the differences, if any, in the tipping culture?

Did regional differences for tipping occur in the different countries? i.e. if you were in different cities at different times.

What are things that someone new to one of your restaurants should do, that would be considered generally not known to the casual restaurant goer, to optimize their potential for better/more tips?

If you were a server and were looking for work in a city across various restaurants, what are you looking for in said restaurants, before you interview, to give you a gauge of the place that indicates this is a better workplace versus not?

What are the most common ways for owners to "steal" tips?

What are five things that the average new restaurant owner is consistently getting wrong/could do better in your viewpoint in terms of generally handling their employees?

If you have three decades in, then you have a lot of training and experience in this area. Here is an opportunity for you to discuss your path inside this industry. Not for my benefit, but for the benefit of the FFA. I'd like to think there are things you can say here to help others not inside this industry to better empathize with front line restaurant workers, etc.

It's up to you. I'm not here to assess right or wrong in your opinions in this thread, simply facilitating them.
 
Not really. Restaurant owners have taken every opportunity to steal tips, and subsidize other positions whom they don't want to pay a livable wage. The push to do away with tipping has been led BY RESTAURANT OWNERS. This is completely a fact, and why would they lead a charge that would take money out of their staffs pocket? Really only one reason.
I'm in restaurants 30 years my friend, in three countries, seven cities. Haven't run across any layers of context.

You want to be obtuse about restaurant servers, knock yourself out.
As I pointed out above, like you I’ve been in the restaurant biz or some derivative of F&B my whole life, including owning a restaurant. Can you expand on the bolded, because as I understand what you’re saying I couldn’t disagree more.
 
Everybody, and I mean everybody, knows that wait staff do not make minimum wage. That's the reason.
This isn’t universally true, it’s only true in states with tip credit exceptions. Here in Cali they do make minimum wage, and not just federal min, state min, which is currently $15.50. Add in many counties set their own higher then state min and you have places with $17 or $18 minimums.
 
Everybody, and I mean everybody, knows that wait staff do not make minimum wage. That's the reason.
This isn’t universally true, it’s only true in states with tip credit exceptions. Here in Cali they do make minimum wage, and not just federal min, state min, which is currently $15.50. Add in many counties set their own higher then state min and you have places with $17 or $18 minimums.
I would not tip in CA then, unless I got exceptional service. Tipping is meant to supplement "less than minimum" wages. Sadly, we, as consumers, don't know who depends on tips and who doesn't. So in response to the OP... yes, modern tipping culture is out of control.
 

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