Posted on 10/14/2011 5:56:23 AM PDT by rawhide
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/99.7 Now) Its a question many of us ask when we go out to a restaurant. How much should I tip? Whether your service is good or bad, San Francisco Restaurant workers want to implement a 25% standard tip onto your bill for you. Is this fair?
Many in the food industry say yes, its about time. However, many foodies are not as happy with the idea. According to an article in the San Jose Mercury News, for the most part, people, on average tip between 15% 20% and the restaurant worker actually has to claim 15% of that to the IRS.
Opinions that sway against the increase said that the whole purpose of a tip is to reward service. They feel the new tip increase should be earned and if more is needed, then they must step up their service so that the increase justifies a larger tip amount.
Not everyone is against the idea. Some have felt with the state of the nations economy is in, that 25% is not unreasonable. And some tip above the average already. Some went a step further to say if you want to reward service, you must start tipping the workers at fast food places as well. Most fast food workers earn minimum wage and rarely get tips
That’s not a tip, it’s a service charge.
Perfectly legitimate for a restaurant to charge in this way. The market will decide whether it will work. Personally I wouldn’t eat at a place that charged this way. Let ‘em raise their prices and then pay their workers a living wage.
No, hell no! A tip as was said is for good service. If it becomes part of the bill the next thing they’ll want is an additional tip.
I typically tip 20%.
It’s one of the main reasons I rarely eat out any more.
The government COMPELS me! To give you 25% even though the service was bad.
I don’t eat out much, but when I do...it’s 15 - 20%.
Is that cheap? Well... I don’t have a lot of money.
lots of men in San Francisco take more than the tip....
Why not 200%? Why not 500% Seems reasonable!
Tipping at McDonald's?
I knew someone would hit this out of the ballpark early on in comments. Well done, Sir.
WTF?
—Thats not a tip, its a service charge.—
That is exactly what it is. If I ate at a place that did that I would just consider it part of the price. I’ll order my food knowing exactly what my food will cost. As far as I am concerned, it is technically just the new price.
Oh, and it is the ONLY tip I would give. It IS the tip.
This is kinda sad because I’ve heard many stories of restaurants charging the mandatory tip for groups over a certain size, and the wait staff gets none of that. That is the potential devil in the details of this.
Tips?
It all started with the Inn keeper’s daughter as travelers stopped by the highway from the 1600s, and it has “progressively” gotten out of hand from there...
First the merchants (much like politicians) made a good thing of it, then the irs got involved, now better not say anything against “tipping” as the AINOs (Americans In name only) will be on ya like odor on a wet mail-person!
Semper Watching!
*****
It’s a free Country (for now) so they can do as they please. Just don’t ask for a bailout when you’re facing bankruptcy. People will dine elsewhere if you force them to pay 25% no matter how lousy the service or food.
Must be getting harder for waiters to pay their union dues... and that SF health insurance for transgender surgery and lifetime hormones is killer
Next, tip jars in your child’s classroom
I don’t mind giving a little extra tip for good service (doesn’t TIP come from To Insure Promptness?) but I’d like to be the one who decides. Restaurants that serve wine usually mark it up buy 2 to 3 fold. A decent bottle that costs 20 bucks in the liquor store will bring in 60 at a restaurant, not including sales tax. And a 25% tip will add another 15 dollars to that. 15 dollars is a lot of money for turning a corkscrew a couple of times, a procedure that takes a few seconds.
When restaurant prices go up 25%, a 20% tip goes up 25%.
The get proportionally more money.
Now they want a bigger chunk.
No.
FUBO GTFO! 464 Days until Noon Jan 20, 2013
It seems in so many unexpected places anymore, you see these ‘tip jars’. I am personally offended by these jars! What you charge for the product includes your tip. I buy, you do your job, I pay.
Mike
—Why not 200%? Why not 500% Seems reasonable!—
It is. Imagine a place charging $3 with a 500% tip for a steak dinner that normally costs $30. I’d go for it. What it really comes down to is this: Is the price, AFTER the tip is included, still competitive. If it is, no problem. If not, business will drop off.
I am concerned that the wait staff will not get this money, though.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.