Aggressive tip requests
May 19, 2012 | 3:34 am
#241
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL
Posts: 16
Well, something would have to give somewhere if the culture of tipping changed. (Sort of a moot point because the gradual change is in the direction of higher tips.) It'd be a mix of both: attempting to charge higher prices to customers and attempting to pay the staff just enough to not lose the workforce needed to operate the restaurant. He'd be jacking with both the labor demand curve and the demand curve for his own product. (He'd find out fast which one was more elastic!)
At this point, I've resigned myself to the fact that the tip is so culturally ingrained that it's effectively embedded into both of these demand curves. The waiter at a star-rated restaurant got there in theory because he's the best at his craft. The kid at Applebee's probably doesn't have the same abilities, but may later acquire them. If I tip them both 15-20% when I receive normal service, then I figure I'm participating in this particular economy in the way that's expected of me.
Some might say "Who cares if the waiter at Charlie Trotter's is any better than the one at Applebee's? I'm just there for the food." I do care...and I think most people who eat at an outstanding restaurant do. Enough people care that those are probably difficult jobs to get, typically staffed by very good professional waiters, and hopefully they're paid well for it.
If I get awful service, that's another story. I've left 0-10%, spoken with the manager, and even had cases where I didn't pay for a meal. This is another category aside from our general culture of tipping...gets into what your general reaction to getting a bad or broken product of any kind is.
At this point, I've resigned myself to the fact that the tip is so culturally ingrained that it's effectively embedded into both of these demand curves. The waiter at a star-rated restaurant got there in theory because he's the best at his craft. The kid at Applebee's probably doesn't have the same abilities, but may later acquire them. If I tip them both 15-20% when I receive normal service, then I figure I'm participating in this particular economy in the way that's expected of me.
Some might say "Who cares if the waiter at Charlie Trotter's is any better than the one at Applebee's? I'm just there for the food." I do care...and I think most people who eat at an outstanding restaurant do. Enough people care that those are probably difficult jobs to get, typically staffed by very good professional waiters, and hopefully they're paid well for it.
If I get awful service, that's another story. I've left 0-10%, spoken with the manager, and even had cases where I didn't pay for a meal. This is another category aside from our general culture of tipping...gets into what your general reaction to getting a bad or broken product of any kind is.
May 19, 2012 | 3:42 am
#243
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 595
And this is coming from someone who has lived in NYC for many years. Just because he can afford to pay a 20% tip on a 500$ meal doesn't mean it makes sense, or that he should.
May 19, 2012 | 4:02 am
#244
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL
Posts: 16
So one cannot disagree with the 'reasoning' behind a custom, he must have an ulterior motive?
People on the other side can just as easily say that you tip to feel good about yourself (which BTW I suspect is the reason some Americans overseas tip even when told not to).
If someone will eat a 500$ meal, it's pretty ridiculous to call him cheap. Likewise, if I'll order a 200$ bottle of wine instead of a 100$ one and not tip twice as much, it's not because I'm cheap, it's because it's silly.
People on the other side can just as easily say that you tip to feel good about yourself (which BTW I suspect is the reason some Americans overseas tip even when told not to).
If someone will eat a 500$ meal, it's pretty ridiculous to call him cheap. Likewise, if I'll order a 200$ bottle of wine instead of a 100$ one and not tip twice as much, it's not because I'm cheap, it's because it's silly.
How about just varying the amount of the tip based on the service on offer with the foundation being a % of the bill?
May 19, 2012 | 4:09 am
#245
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL
Posts: 16
I am going to guess that such self-righteousness comes from someone who thinks that the only 'global cities' in the world are located in the US?
And this is coming from someone who has lived in NYC for many years. Just because he can afford to pay a 20% tip on a 500$ meal doesn't mean it makes sense, or that he should.
And this is coming from someone who has lived in NYC for many years. Just because he can afford to pay a 20% tip on a 500$ meal doesn't mean it makes sense, or that he should.
It is difficult to argue that 20% inherently 'makes sense'. I am just saying that it is part of the custom to tip (in US restaurants). I personally admire those that tip and down based on performance, but there is a starting point around which those equations should be based and in the US, that seems to me to be 15-18% at restaurants.
Last edited by edaimler; May 19, 2012 at 3:54 pm
May 19, 2012 | 4:51 am
#246
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Shanghai
Programs: BAEC (Gold), PC (Plat), HH (Gold), MR (Gold)
Posts: 2,732
"Global Cities" means just that: Global. The point is that exposure to these places gives you awareness that tipping customs vary radically. Customs within US cities seem to vary less.
It is difficult to argue that 20% inherently 'makes sense'. I am just saying that it is part of the custom to tip (in US restaurants). I personally admire those that tip and down based on performance, but there is a starting point around which those equations should be based and in the US, that seems to me to be 15-18% at restaurants.
It is difficult to argue that 20% inherently 'makes sense'. I am just saying that it is part of the custom to tip (in US restaurants). I personally admire those that tip and down based on performance, but there is a starting point around which those equations should be based and in the US, that seems to me to be 15-18% at restaurants.
The first one though makes no sense whatsoever, especially coupled with the instance of you inferring that the poster you were berating would somehow know how to tip better if he had lived in just one of these "global cities" (whatever they are).
How can living in one location help you to understand that tipping customs vary by location?
I'm just saying that if decide you start laying into someone because what they are saying doesn't make sense to you, then for goodness' sake take a long had look at what you are posting yourself if you don't want to end up looking silly.
You have 5 posts to your name. Did you join FT just to take part in arguments or are you intending to contribute something of value to the community?
May 19, 2012 | 5:06 am
#247
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: QFF Gold, Flying Blue, Enrich
Posts: 5,369
May 19, 2012 | 3:52 pm
#248
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL
Posts: 16
May 20, 2012 | 8:29 am
#249
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Paris, Chicago, Rome, London, St John
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The best tipping I ever saw was a friend who left a stack of bills on the table. Every time he had to ask for something, he removed one of the bills. It soon became obvious that that was the tip and service improved.
May 20, 2012 | 11:27 am
#250
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 40
Lol Didn't that happen in the show, 3rd Rock from the Sun?
May 20, 2012 | 11:35 am
#251
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA--no longer 2P as of 3/2012 and don't even care. Never thought I'd say that.
Posts: 788
May 20, 2012 | 7:08 pm
#252
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: UA, Hertz Gold, AA Gold, DL Silver
Posts: 826
Make that six (sevenif you choose to respond). Oh, and though I always wonder why someone may have a low post-count, I think the bigger thing is the time on a site and 3 years on the site has to count for something too.
May 20, 2012 | 9:10 pm
#253
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 802
In Las Vegas I was taken from the airport to my hotel on the Strip via the tunnel. I stupidly forgot to tell the driver "no tunnel" but it was too late. The fare was $28 and some change when it should have been about half that. If I were by myself, I would have not paid the fare at all and waited for the police to show up. I paid the exact amount of the fare and the driver said "what about tip". I told him that he took me the long way.
May 21, 2012 | 1:53 am
#254
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 5,267
I have seen this happen so often and it is often by the the same group. Even in Japan once, I saw this same group of person trying to force a tip at the cashier which in the the end turned out to be quite a hilarious situation.
But to stick to this, I have had my fair share of experience. The worst is in NY, in Chinatown. The service was so bad, that I did not leave any tip, but got chased by the waiter in one of these noodle place when I paid at the cashier. My travel companion was shocked and returned quickly to the cashier just left a quick tip at the cashier. These days I noticed that that expectations are higher on tips. Seems like the 10% does not go any more. Maybe the system should change and just make it a compulsory part of payments like some countries where a standard service charge is added and that is it, no discussions and no difficult situations.
Cheers!
Dec 18, 2012 | 3:57 pm
#255
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: ELP
Programs: AAdvantage, Amex MR
Posts: 2,461
Sorry for bumping a 6 month old thread but I saw this hillarious aggressive tip request in a movie once.
Anyone seen the Beavis and Butthead movie? In any case the two boys get escorted by the Porter to their room, they immediately run to the tv remote and the porter is standing in the doorway and suddenly clears his throat and holds his hand out. It went something like this.
Beavis: "Hey Butthead that guy is still standing there."
Butthead (Calls out to the Porter): "Ummm, can you like, not stand there. huh huh huh"
The porter just walks off all disappointed. LMAO
Anyone seen the Beavis and Butthead movie? In any case the two boys get escorted by the Porter to their room, they immediately run to the tv remote and the porter is standing in the doorway and suddenly clears his throat and holds his hand out. It went something like this.
Beavis: "Hey Butthead that guy is still standing there."
Butthead (Calls out to the Porter): "Ummm, can you like, not stand there. huh huh huh"
The porter just walks off all disappointed. LMAO