Visiting the US soon - do I really have to tip?
Hey Folks!
I've been living abroad for over half my life in a country where tipping is not the norm. At most you would round up. 19€ bill? Here's a 20, keep this change.
Going to the US soon to visit family and the whole idea of tipping makes me nervous. It seems there's a lot of discussion about getting rid of tipping, but I don't know how much has changed in this regard.
The system seems ridiculously unfair, and that extra expense in a country where everything is already so expensive really makes a difference.
So will AITA if I don't tip? Is it really my personal responsibility to make sure my server is paid enough?
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Yes in the service industry where you will be served you very much likely would be expected to tip. So places may make this more obvious then others with a tip bracket on the receipt or signs somewhere.
Its also important to note most places in the US expect a 15% tip of what you spent but in some higher dense areas where the CoL is out of control it’s 20%
Do waiters actually get paid? Like an hourly wage? Or do they rely fully on the tips?
The federal minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13/hr. Basically nothing. It wouldn't cover your gas cost to go to work in most cases.
Wtf. US at it's peak. At my first job, when I was 14 y/o, I made more than that (€2.72) doing restocking at a supermarket.
As far as I understand it, US servers prefer the current system as they make more money from tips. Personally, if you prefer this system I think you don't have any right to complain or get upset if someone doesn't tip.
It really is absurd.
Supermarket stockers are not tipped so a higher minimum wage applies, which is $7.25 right now. However, laborers are also in high demand so most places pay more than the minimum.
If their tips don't pass the actual minimum wage, the employer is required to pay the difference up to the minimum.
Servers are paid a sub-minimum wage, as tips are supposed to round out their wages. When I wanted tables my paycheck barely covered the taxes on my cash and credit card tips.
In most HCOL areas there is a higher minimum wage even for tipped workers, so keep that in mind. In DC for example minimum wage for tipped workers is going up annually over the next 4 years to meet regular minimum wage, up to about $17/hr. I anticipate tipping percentages should go down as this phases in as there will no longer be a differentiation.
They typically get paid below the state’s minimum wage. :(