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Comment by dwater | Hacker News Reader

Not tipping in America rarely if ever gets you poor service. You have to return to the same business and happen to get served by the same server enough times for them to remember you. It does deprive the server of a living wage.

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>It does deprive the server of a living wage.

Then maybe the server should tell the customer how much they need to be tipped?

"Welcome to AppleBees. My name is Trevor and I need an additional $24.89 in tips today so that my employer isn't obligated to pay me the minimum wage for this state."

Also, should I be under-tipping waitstaff that I think are rich enough?

Employers have to make up the difference if tipped employees don't make enough tips to meet the minimum wage. However, minimum wage is often not a living wage.

I would guess there are dozens of cases of that actually happening a year. And then the person got fired.

> Employers have to make up the difference if tipped employees don't make enough tips to meet the minimum wage

This is not true in all states. Kentucky has no provision for this, e.g. (I worked in restaurants through college, so I have hands on experience here.)

It’s federal law: https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs15.htm

Maybe it was different when you were in college?

Employers use tips as a performance metric, and particularly use needing to top-up an employee's tips as a firing cue, so in practice in places where cash tips are possible employees will often, at a minimum, report sufficient cash tips to avoid top-up even if they don't recieve them.

A British friend of mine was chased down the street and harangued by a waitress when he tipped 10% (pretty standard in the UK for decent-if-not-amazing service). I get the feeling they'd remember someone who left a tip which was that underwhelming, let alone no tip, wouldn't they?

Was this a small family-owned cafe? I know a lot of people in the service industry who would love to chase down certain customers down the street if they were allowed to.

When dealing with 8 or so tables, I generally wouldn't be able to remember who sat where unless they were particularly notable, ex. extra messy, or annoying. I'd generally get decent tips too. few dollars - five dollars on a buffet lunch meal ranging from $8 a person.

That said, its just the right thing to do for servers are trying their best. Finding a few dollars per table makes their day a little brighter.

The UK may be one of the most potentially confusing places. Some places where a waiter takes your order include "optional" service charges and others don't. And, of the ones that don't, some prompt you to add a tip on the PoS terminal and others don't.

It's not really confusing. Basically, don't tip anywhere except restaurants with table service where you pay at the table after the food. Then it is 10% (unless they did particularly good or bad service).

Pay at the bar before receiving food? Don't tip.

Buying drinks at a bar? Don't tip.

Ordering an Uber? Don't tip.

Etc.

Yes, but you're only given the opportunity to add a tip to your credit card some of the time even when a service charge isn't added. I guess you're expected to leave some cash in that case.

No just ignore it.

Hence it’s a bit confusing as service charge not included is often printed in big letters in the receipt.

waitstaff think certain types of people tip poorly and will treat them differently though.

They also almost definitely remember (and talk about) people who don't tip at all.

> It does deprive the server of a living wage.

No, the owner of the place deprives his/her employee of a living wage. I don't see how can that be possibly the responsibility of the customers.

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