Topic: The whole tipping culture in western countries is unfair and totally wrong! - page 4. (Read 786 times)

I'd like to point out that those restaurant guys wouldn't know if you're going to tip them or not until after you've eaten your food (unless you're referring to repeat customers known to be non-tippers).  In any case, that made me chuckle.  I don't think that's a serious risk in restaurants in the US, because it would have to be the server doing it, and there's usually too much visibility for them to get away with it.  Not saying it's impossible, just unlikely.

Speaking of the restaurant industry, those servers don't even make minimum wage IIRC and depend on tips to make up for the difference.  I'm not sure how that system came about, but it's a pretty messed up one if you ask me.  Taxi drivers I'm not certain about, and honestly I'm not a big fan of tipping anyone.  You pay for a service, that's the way it should be.  Giving money voluntarily (but being expected to) in addition to that rubs me the wrong way and always has.

Atleast 20% of the bill will be paid as tip in the restaurant generally and this has been in practice for very long time so even if a foreigner doesn't follow it they will treat you in the low level but we can't do anything and its not really mandatory to give tips, it just the own choice. And you're right the owner took more advantage of this practice and pay very less salary so government can only regulate this by following minimum wage policy all over the country to reduce it.

Interesting points. I think tipping is a historical and cultural practice leftover from past eras.

Its also not handled well by the state. Business owners are often taxed on the wages they pay employees, in addition to a tax on tips employees receive. Its a significant obstacle to overcome, which caused many businesses to shut down or declare bankruptcy. Especially during COVID lockdowns in the global pandemic.

Tips are one segment of the market that cryptocurrencies have not been able to break into. Cash based solutions will likely always rule the roost when it comes to tips.

Maybe an altcoin that can be exchanged through smartphones by moving them within close proximity of each other, could be a decent format. Assuming someone hasn't already done it.

I work at restaurant before and mostly the tip will not go directly to us staff but rather it will go to the tip box then the whole kitchen staff will divide so that all of the workers who work for the food will get equal. but I don't know about the other but for me I really discourage to give this nor implement this because sometimes this will cause costumer profiling and some staffs will not entertain those costumer who think that they will not give them a tip. But this is case to case basis and depends on the environment where you work at.

I explain - everything that you have listed is a service-oriented business. I’ll clarify - there are services with a clear price list, for example:
- salon
- manicure / pedicure
- massage
- filling stations
- delivery
etc.
Those. these are services where the cost is known in advance and there are no noticeable additional costs.
But for example, services such as:
- taxi
- waiter
- hotel worker
etc. similar is a service where there is a basic cost and a real additional one. Let me explain - for example, a taxi driver. Maybe just drive up and wait for you to sit down, open the trunk yourself, put your suitcases. BUT! The taxi driver can help you! Open the door for you, take your luggage and carefully put it in the trunk. And when you arrive - get your luggage, open the door for you, help you get out, and carry your luggage to the airport doors.
Or a waiter - serves you a table (even in a pub), completes your order as quickly as possible, gives a recommendation on the selection of the main course or snacks, and offers new items. And if you are a regular customer, he will recommend, knowing your taste, drink, snack, dish. Or book a seat for you.
And it costs a little - usually about 10% +/- of the check amount! But you will get the maximum level of service, pleasant attitude, and good mood!
In addition, you will help this person, with a small amount, who does not have a large fixed rate. BUT - he, with this money, will buy your goods, services ... Or your parents ... Or your brother / sister .. Or your son / daughter. This is how the economy and social community work

It is really just a voluntary act!

Agree on what you had said that it is really an amount which it might not that big but showing off your appreciation on what they have done.
Even my wife do really make out argumentation on giving tips which she had said that they are paid on their work and its not necessary on giving some tips.
I just smirked and tell her that it isnt really that much for you to brag on.Its good that you do able to help at least on small amount for the
work that they had done.

I live in a country where tipping is part of the culture but I agree with this, a tip should be optional and only be given when the service was great, otherwise we encourage bad service by giving money away which was not deserved, now that being said where I live people in the service industry really make an effort to try to earn that tip, so while I give a tip more often than I would like they do their best to deserve to get that extra money.

It's a huge issue in the United States. Not only is everything expensive and overpriced, especially if you're from Europe for vacations, for instance, but you're also expected to tip over 10-20% of the total bill just because of the broken tipping culture in the U.S. Restaurants are not paying their staff a living wage, and it is expected of customers to pay their workers' salaries. What kind of messed up logic is that? It's not mandatory in Greece either, but you can round up to the nearest 0 or 5, for example, if the service was decent (paying 50 instead of 47, etc.). It's solely up to you. I don't think it's a huge issue in the western world, but only in the U.S.

The only places I was asked to tip were two restaurants in Poland, Krakow, when I visited for vacation. In one of them, the waiter went ahead and asked me if I could give him a tip, which was a bit strange, but since he was extremely polite and caring, I didn't mind. I wouldn't sit around and make a fuss about it on my holiday. In the latter, they went ahead and charged a small "service charge" of a few Polish Zloty. It was approximately a euro or two, max. The waiter informed me about it, but the service was decent and while I didn't like the forced tipping, I wasn't going to make a scene for a euro or two.

So you are pertaining that we should give tip on manual labors? Of course the venue or place would be entirely be a huge factor on why these people had been given tips.
They are on those places where the crowd or people been hanging out which means that they are on the nearest place for them to be approach compared into those constructions which is working on
places where it is hazardous or something that people cant go nor stay with.So its just common sense.

I do get your point though but tipping isnt really that necessary.Its a personal choice or will because tipping does correlate on having good impression or appreciation
on what that certain worker had been done into you specially if its a nice one and did really give good overall experience.

You should not conflate the tipping culture in America with the tipping culture in somewhere like Europe, as the two are vastly different. I haven't even been to America recently, but you can judge from TV shows that they essentially vastly underpay workers in certain sectors and require it to be topped up by this enforced tipping culture. If you're a service worker, you've already got a tough enough job without having to go over the top and act ridiculously kind in order to make a minimum wage, it just makes the whole situation so faked. Europe on the other hand, tipping is very much optional in most situations, certainly not expected or demanded like it is in the USA. Some situations may even cause offense at the suggestion and get it rejected.

There is no compulsion in giving tip to waiters at restaurants , this is just a goodwill gesture on your behalf. So I dnt feel it wrong ,yes little unfair for the workers in different sectors as tipping culture is just restricted to restaurants.  Everyone deserves extra income or benefits for their services .

This culture is not compulsory or mandatory. You still have a choice whether to tip them or not because tipping those who provide good services is just a simple act of kindness and consideration. You're lucky if you are the one who gives tips than the one who is asking for them. It shouldn't be a burden for you because the tip that you're giving them is already a big help. If it's against your will then just avoid this practice. It isn't against the law though. Some laborers are trying to look for better opportunities to earn better but still get unlucky getting one. Not everyone could have the same opportunity as others have so we should be considerate in simple ways. Some laborers are risking their lives just to provide good service in exchange for a minimum salary so we should be kind towards them.

In any structure of life the tip is not mandatory, people do things based on the responsibility of the party providing the work, overall I can't confirm the truth like the post you made, because we don't live in the area.
However, I often see giving tips to any employee, based on the assistance given to consumers, even though the culture is categorized as not good, but that's how someone appreciates the help given by workers in any place.

Most of the jobs you've mentioned offer services which is why people tip them to be able to receive great service and avoid receiving bad service, especially in restaurant service. We all know what happens to our food when we are either rude to our waiters or if we don't provide tips to them. Also, those who work on construction also gets tips from their clients however some of them already add it on the pay slip. However, those who work by contract usually don't get tipped as they get paid on time and some of them usually add a service charge of 10% on the pay slip.

These kinds of tipping culture from western countries especially from the USA has gone way back and it's already a tradition to pay at least 10% for the service that you receive.

I do agree that people from some western countries are overdoing it (at least compared to us in Europe) and its not fair that some don't get tips (like for example people that work in McDonald's) but to simply put, you gotta be good with the people that bring you food! At least that's how I look at it, but maybe that's because food is very high on my priority list lol and I eat at the restaurant at least few times per week.


Don't know about you, but in 99% of the cases I tip both my barber and delivery guys (extra bonus if weather is shitty), even though I try not to order if weather is bad (like heavy rain).


Technology is adapting to that as well and in some apps (for example Wolt) you can simply chose the tip if you are paying with card. Whether delivery guys actually get the tip is another question and for that reason I am always paying with cash so I can be sure that they get the tip.


We live in the same country (AFAIK) and both me and all my friends usually tip delivery guys (unless they fuck up which is rare) so I wouldn't say that is uncommon around here, even before Wolt/Glovo and all the other 3rd party services that are popular now.

I do think so too, the tipping culture only enables the capitalistic institution to continue ignoring the plight of the working class to increase the minimum wage and help those people not worry about tipping as a means to gain an advantage in life. It's going to be difficult to remove this culture though as there are some people that are so used to it and benefits big time to it that are going to defend it.

Maybe it's like that in the country where you live, but here where I live, every delivery person has an official pizzeria/fast food vehicle and a normal salary. Therefore, your attitude towards how delivery people should be treated is completely opposite to mine - although in recent years, food delivery in my country has changed because they are delivered by young people on bicycles/electric scooters for companies that have appeared as intermediaries between fast food chains and customers.

I'm not a fan of fast food, so I don't use such services, but when I see these young people delivering in all weather conditions, I would be very happy to give them a tip in addition to what they will officially receive for each delivery.

Who limits you from tipping the builder? Let's be bold. And why are you counting other people's money? It's a poor man's speech, but the tip also serves as a help for the waiters and all the wait staff. I don't see any problem, and I always leave it for a tip. Read the parable "The Boy and Ice Cream" on the Internet; it speaks of a person's culture.

I don't understand as well. If the industry doesn't pay well enough, shouldn't there be lobbyists that will help the plight of the workers that are "underpaid" and needs to receive tips to compensate? I understand there is nothing mandatory about it, but the fact that this culture is so spread far and wide in the United States makes a foreign visitor feel bad and ashamed that he/she will be forced to tip even if it's out of the budget. Then again, perhaps it's a form of a personal and direct acknowledgment on a job well done for the server, the driver, or whomever that did something for you, and I'm okay with that. But there are some exceptions though. There are restaurants there in the US that make it seem like tips are mandatory and doesn't directly give the tips to those who actually did the service for their customers. That's just straight up hustling the workers and being greedy for the restaurant's operations managers part, and I guess that's what ticks people off in the tipping culture there in the US.

The manual laborer is also part of this culture of tipping because he will do the same like all is well for him and tomorrow he is in the rag clothes and doing the laborer job again. Is this not the way that the society is finding herself to believe the workers in service industry to be rewarded for the service they done. If the laborer is guilty to this every sector is guilty. The owners of business believe that they do not do too many jobs and running on shifting may be reason for low salary to them.