Money Moral Dilemma: Should I tip if other diners don't?

Kim_kim

undrop79 wrote: »

I've worked other minimum wage roles such as in retail, it's not as a laborious as working in a restaurant. The understanding when you get a job in a restaurant is that you will earn your basic (often minimum wage) plus tips. If everybody stopped tipping, restaurant owners would have to increase staff wages which would see the menu items and subsequently your bill increase regardless. The restaurant owner still needs to achieve the same profit margins regardless of how the waiters earn what they expect to.

Yes, that is what should happen.
A fair days pay.
A 10% increase would be reasonable.
But that would make no difference to the customer if they are already paying 10%.
It’s only fair that all your income is taxed & NIed

Kim_kim

ciderboy2009 wrote: »

I'm not sure if it's still the case but many years ago when I was working full time at a pub my tax code was actually reduced as the tax man assumed that I would get a certain amount of tips & he wanted his income tax (tips are taxable).

I never actually got any "tips" - just drinks bought for me. The value of which was less than half of the estimated amount.

So, those of you who don't tip may actually be costing the staff member money!

That’s the absolute best reason to abolish tipping completely.
How ridiculous.

Kim_kim

undrop79 wrote: »

If you're so adamant you want to automatically pay what the price should be to reflect the TOTAL cost of the meal which includes more than minimum wage for the staff, why don't you just add 10% to 15% yourself? Oh wait... that would be a tip and you're really against that. Sure...

Because I don’t want to be part of the black market economy.
Because tax & NI should be paid on earnings.

Peter_Lanky

Also think of the bigger picture in poor countries. Thanks to the Americans, tipping has been introduced to countries where it was unknown in the past, and even got to the stage in US dominated resorts where bar staff in all inclusive resorts have ignored people who don't hand over a tip. Blackmail or what?

But in many countries it creates another problem. In order to get in on the act, many workers in poorer countries all want to work in restaurants, bars and portering as the tips can dwarf their regular salaries, resulting in there not being enough workers to do proper jobs, as well as creating an 'us and them' culture.

The negatives of tipping go much further that annoying some diners.

Kim_kim

Peter_Lanky wrote: »

Also think of the bigger picture in poor countries. Thanks to the Americans, tipping has been introduced to countries where it was unknown in the past, and even got to the stage in US dominated resorts where bar staff in all inclusive resorts have ignored people who don't hand over a tip. Blackmail or what?

But in many countries it creates another problem. In order to get in on the act, many workers in poorer countries all want to work in restaurants, bars and portering as the tips can dwarf their regular salaries, resulting in there not being enough workers to do proper jobs, as well as creating an 'us and them' culture.

The negatives of tipping go much further that annoying some diners.

In many countries it pays more than teaching & nursing :-(