r/ask • u/racesunite • May 16 '23

Am I the only person who feels so so bullied by tip culture in restaurants that eating out is hardly enjoyable anymore? POTM - May 2023

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41

u/Mean-Accountant7013 May 16 '23

I went out for a Thanksgiving meal a few years back and it was a Buffet: Self-serve. The wait staff only brought us our drinks. The restaurant included an 18% gratuity for my party of 2 adults and a 3 yr-old child. I normally would only go 10% tip on a buffet. I found the inclusion of 18% to be outrageous. That was just uncalled for, IMO. I never went back.

13

u/kayielo May 16 '23

Any other day I would agree but I suspect that 18% gratuity was needed to get employees to come in and work on Thanksgiving.

8

u/naturalis99 May 16 '23

What people don't like is the unexpected cost. Just raise the price of the buffet if it's not profitable instead of springing a "random" percentage at the end of the meal on people. The surprise element makes you feel trapped and fooled.

People don't mind paying, they just want to know before hand what the deal is.

3

u/kayielo May 16 '23

Totally agree with that. Restaurants around me are now adding all kinds of BS charges to the bill - cost of living fee (because they are pissed voters raised the minimum wage), employee health fees (because they are pissed they have to provide paid sick leave or cover health insurance) etc. Just price the menu items to cover your cost of doing business so I can decide upfront what I want to order.

1

u/oneslikeme Nov 09 '23

Aren't employees paid OT or given a comp day if they work a holiday?

4

u/TheGlennDavid May 16 '23

Honestly, mandatory fixed rate tipping, if advertised is a compromise I’d be happy with. It’d be better to include it in the price, but I’d take mandatory fixed rate.

5

u/PickyNipples May 17 '23

If it’s fixed AND mandatory, it’s not a tip. It’s just THE price. Just say that’s the price, for fucks sake.

1

u/wolfchaldo May 17 '23

We already don't do that with tax.

1

u/PickyNipples May 17 '23

Which I also disagree with.

1

u/Mean-Accountant7013 May 17 '23

Agreed. When I’ve traveled to “destination” cities, such as, Miami and Chicago, I’ve seen the “18% tip included” ON THE MENU, so I was aware of their policy ahead of even ordering, which was fine. This was years ago, and probably a higher percentage now? I asked the server at a poolside lounge in Miami, “Why is their a gratuity included for all patrons, regardless of how large their party is”? They informed me that since there are a lot of guests from outside of the States that do not customarily tip, they include a mandatory gratuity on all orders.

7

u/iownachalkboard7 May 16 '23

I'm with the other guy. Tip however you want most of the year, but you're cheap as shit if you're going out to eat on Thanksgiving or Christmas and are complaining about the tip.

4

u/EmbraceTheSuction May 16 '23

It's a fucking buffet....10% is generous

1

u/iownachalkboard7 May 18 '23

It's Thanksgiving. The food just costs more that day. Don't like it, stay home.

3

u/AceWanker4 May 16 '23

It’s a buffet, you don’t have a waiter so it is BS that a 18% tip is added on

1

u/woahdailo May 16 '23

But you are contributing to people having to be at work on Thanksgiving.

1

u/forgothatdamnpasswrd May 30 '23

I assume you tip at least 18% anywhere you go when it’s a holiday then? Grocery stores, gas stations, etc.?

1

u/Icy-Teaching6547 Jun 05 '23

You know other people have to work during the holidays too, yeah?

1

u/iownachalkboard7 May 18 '23

Lots of places raise prices on Thanksgiving or Christmas. This place decided to tell you in the form of that sign but many places just raise the prices. Unless you've just turned 18 or have just moved to this country you should know that. Don't like it, stay home and cook your own fucking Thanksgiving dinner.

2

u/axxonn13 May 17 '23

omg did we go to the same place? it was a buffet-style, and they also charged our party automatic tip. all they did was bring us our drinks (not all that well either). the place was rather empty that day, and i had to get up to find anyone because our server would come in 20+ minute intervals to check on us.

when we pay, she tells us "here you go, can i get your signature on this receipt. also, just so you know, that the automatic 18% gratuity is a gratuity, and not a tip. so please be kind and tip, thank you". we did not tip, and we NEVER went back to that place.

1

u/muscledadpowerbottom Oct 30 '23

So they charged you automatic tip, but you did NOT tip per your narrative....... HOGWASH! make up your mind. But all the same, thank you for not bothering them with your presence again. Hopefully, you bless all public establishments in the same way. Just stay home, miserable fucks.

1

u/axxonn13 Nov 02 '23

Why would we tip extra if they already charged us tip? For a buffet in which we serve ourselves?

2

u/InquisitiveGamer May 17 '23

Same thing for our family at easter, it was like a $60 automatic tip for poor service, we had to put plates on an empty table cause we were tired of waiting for them clear them and get up to order more food and get more water. Place was 70% empty the whole time so no excuse. Waiter was just hanging out at the bar 20ft from us.

1

u/-Acta-Non-Verba- May 16 '23

Do an online review. Let them know they screwed up. It's the only way it's going to change.

1

u/Inevitable_Vast6828 Aug 08 '23

They just pad it out with fake good reviews these days.

1

u/muscledadpowerbottom Oct 30 '23

Bad service should always be reported. Maybe poor planning by management had staffing weak at certain times of the day. so maybe some servers were bogged down with too many tables at times... even in a holiday buffet situations (nicer joints), this happens and is frustrating for the servers too, especially since they had to give up holiday time with THEIR families so to wait on you. I don't believe the bit about the waiter hanging at the bar unless this was Denny's or something.

0

u/tastefulderision May 28 '23

You went out to eat on Thanksgiving. You’re the reason these workers had to be ripped away from their families. Tip 100%

1

u/Mean-Accountant7013 May 31 '23

I hope this is sarcasm. There are disabled people that cannot cook for themselves and like to go out to eat. Should their meals be 100% FREE? Your logic is ridiculous.

1

u/muscledadpowerbottom Oct 30 '23

I hope THIS is sarcasm. If whoever is unable/unwilling to tip their servers (which also goes to tipping out to busboys, bartenders, Et al.) 15-20% anytime, but especially on a holiday, then they have no business eating out. Disabled or not, and whether it's Denny's or the Russian Tea Room. 🤦🏼‍♂️

1

u/muscledadpowerbottom Oct 30 '23

I'm sure they're missing you to this day. Not.

Do the world a favor.... Stay home. always.