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.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/48704263

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.

    • YappyMonotheist@lemmy.worldEnglish
      104·
      4 days ago

      Tipping kind of is but this “socially mandated gratuity that’s a percentage of the bill” certainly isn’t. 🤷

      • ByteJunk@lemmy.worldEnglish
        111·
        4 days ago

        Tipping is not normal.

        Tipping is an exception that follows exceptional service, and bringing plates to a table isn’t exceptional, it’s part of the job.

        I get it that servers aren’t being paid enough to live, but look at your boss making bank with your work,.not at me, I’m not Social Security.

        • YappyMonotheist@lemmy.worldEnglish
          31·
          4 days ago

          I get it, I get it, what I meant is “leaving some change cause the server was smiley and competent is pretty common but the American understanding of tipping isn’t”. 👍

          • ferrule@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            5·
            4 days ago

            Again this isn’t true in most places outside the US. Many places I’ve traveled the only way a server would get a tip is if they did MORE than their job required which necessitated some sort of need for it. If your job is to greet, take an order, deliver said order and refill drinks there isn’t much opprotunity to go beyond.

            Massive groups, staying late, resolving a problem the establishment created, those are times when a tip might occur but even then it really is just an extension of your job. And this is coming from someone who has worked in many high profile service jobs.

  • siravious@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    4 days ago

    I went to a place last week where dinner for two was over $150. I shit you not, on the credit card receipt they had a line that said “donation” between tip and total.

  • YappyMonotheist@lemmy.worldEnglish
    41·
    4 days ago

    If they included it in the price, then nobody would complain about this price gouging/scam in everything but name, but then they wouldn’t be able to advertise with such low prices. Even a blind man can see what they’re doing, there’s no way to defend it. Sadly, I’ve seen a lot of Americans on YouTube arguing for it, minimizing the great annoyance that can come from feeling like every business is trying to take you for a fool/the uncomfortable feeling from being socially pressured (that ain’t me but that’s just because I’m neurodivergent and I’m very comfortable with conflict, lol)… I’m just gonna assume they’re bots and not actual people for the sake of my sanity. 🤣

    • orclev@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      4 days ago

      The problem is it has become a catch 22. Some places in the US have tried to do the right thing, increased wages to livable levels and told customers not to tip, but everyone who has tried it ultimately gets forced to undo it. The customers end up hating it because a) prices are higher on paper and b) a lot of them get off on having the power to fuck with the workers income by refusing to tip and you’re taking that away from them. The customers then end up going to other restaurants that still do tipping. Additionally some of the staff hate it as well because they feel like they’re making less money due to the odd tipping whale pushing their average salary up (this is highly variable but they’ll tend to remember that one table that tipped $1000 a lot more than all the ones that only gave them $15).

      I honestly think the only way you’re going to be able to eliminate tipping in the US is if it was outlawed at the federal level. Any action by individual restaurants just ends up getting punished by the market and forcing them back in line.

  • Lexam@lemmy.worldEnglish
    65·
    4 days ago

    What is wrong with Europeans? It’s a simple system. First move the decimal then double the price, oh we’re splitting? Oh ok, then divide the bill, remember Jess didn’t get anything, and yes Tim is pitching in if he wants a ride home. Anyway move the decimal back then minus the members in your party and finally times it by 20% and you have how much you should tip.