Tips, tips, tips
 

I cannot believe how many people you are expected to tip here in California! I didn't realize when I came here that I would be partly responsible for paying peoples wages! I have basically been told that these people get minimum wage, so I have to tip the waitress, the hair dresser, the barmaid for every drink she serves me, the lady who did my nails, the coffee house. Everywhere I go there seems to tip jars. This is proving to be quite expensive! I'm not even working at the moment! Another thing I'm having a hard time getting used to is this sales tax. I never seem to know how much I'm going to spend because they add the tax on separately. Does everyone tip all these people who provide services that you are paying for anyway? I don't want to seem tight fisted or anything, but I really don't get it!:confused:

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When in Rome...

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At the bar, start a tab and tip once at the end. I don't tip at coffee places, unless they did something to deserve it. Ringing me up and holding a cup under a coffee pot for a few seconds doesn't cut it.

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They get paid sub minimum wage with the expectation that tips will bring them up to it.

You have the option of not using their services.

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I used to get so annoyed by the sales tax too and now I'm so used to it when I go back to Europe I'm always surprised to pay the exact same price that I see on tags with nothing added to it ! :)

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Not only that, they're taxed assuming they DO get a tip. So if you don't tip them, you're actually reducing their wage.

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It's not right though is it? They should be payed normal wages by their employers instead of them assuming that the public will make up the difference. A lot of people I know are struggling financially and it just seems unfair that a luxury meal out now and again or a necessary hair cut should cost more because of tips. I know its not the workers fault. It's just the way it is and believe me we are having to cut back using their services. Sometimes it does make a difference to those of us who have to count our pennies. I'm entitled to a moan when I want one!:D

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I can't wait for the day when I get used to it to. When I do my shopping I add up the prices in my head as I go along just to get an idea how much it's going to cost. This sales tax has really thrown me off!:frown:

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That's awful!:(

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So very true, it's weird but nice to walk into a store and pay exactly as it is.

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I always think in my head +10% for tax, it's actually 8.25% but I can't do that in my head :blink:.

I tip waiters, bartenders, hairdresser, but not self service (coffee shop, fast food etc). There was a thread recently about giving hairdresser etc a christmas gift like a voucher or something but I don't do that.

The one that is really starting to get on my goat is hotel bills with local tax, room occupancy tax, state tax, parking, "resort fee" and don't even get me started on my phone bill, I don't even look at the itemization now or it makes my blood boil.

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Servers normally have a minimum of 8% of their sales added to their income for tax purposes but are supposed to report 100% of their tips as taxable income.

Therefore if a server averages 15% on tips, they should show 15% but few report the full amount of the tips and just include the 8% that the IRS considers minimum.

However some servers report less than the 8% minimum to see how far they can push the IRS. However generally it is on the IRS to try to prove that the server under reported the tips and would likely have to prove that the tips were under reported by auditing the businesses records looking through credit card receipts to try to determine the average percentage tips for servers for that business.

However, servers at certain restaurants such as fast food normally are not tipped or receive very little tips so the IRS expects no or little tips to be included as income for those types of restaurants.

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I double the tax to use for the tip and round it up and add a bit if they were really really good.
I don't tip at starbucks or other places where you stood in line and the hand stuff over the counter. Thats not the same as a waitress in a restaurant. I do tip the hairdresser, although ours is independent and rents the chair, so isn't paid low wages, she often has two clients at once, one in the chair for a trim on under the dryer or waiting for the dye to take.
I don't frequent bars so no idea there.
Oh I was in college here with a waitress who was studying to be a nurse, she in the 80's was earning more than my Dh at the time, working evenings and weekends at somewhere like the spaghetti factory. She ended up getting her RN license then going back to waitressing as it paid her more money.

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Yes, it is crap, but that's the way it is.

It's why shit can seem so cheap and people seem fine with that and wouldn't want to see higher initial prices.

Plus if you're really counting the pennies, you wouldn't eat out etc.

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For restaurant service, I typically tip 15 - 20% if service was normal. Less if service was not so good. I've never NOT tipped anyone, even if service was lousy.

I tip my hairdresser a little over 10% for each visit. I don't do Christmas or year-end gifts.

If I use a service like the shuttle at the airport, or the offsite parking shuttle to get from parking to the airport, I tip a dollar or two.

If I get my nails done, I tip 10%.

I never put any money in "tip jars" if I see them anywhere (coffee shops, etc).

Rene

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Annoys me. I am often reminded of the accounts of Barcelona during the civil war when tips were refused as offensive, once they had started to structure things so that staff were receiving fair wages.

Employers should be paying at least minimum wage, but one has to balance what one thinks should be with what is, and the knowledge that they will be taxed on a tip whether I give it or not. I think the price on the menu should be the price I am expected to pay, but it isn't.

I objected to the tax being added on at the till, but I understand it a little more now. It is the price that you would pay if the government was not involved (maybe.....as without some regulation that price would probably be higher in some instances and lower in others) This is the country of suspicion of government, so it should not surprise us that services try to distance themselves from governmental taxes.

Oh yes....I tip on pre-tax not post-tax

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Have you ever been to Switzerland? They add a 15% tip directly on the bill. Many Americans don't realize that and tip the server another 15%.

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They do it over here, normally with groups of 6-8 or more, depending on the Restaurant.


Jim.

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I was doing a search and noticed that 15% gratuity is included also. Does that mean that the price quoted in France includes a tip or 15% will be added to the bill? In Switzerland 15% gratuity is added to the bill.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2007/04/tipping-in-fran-1/

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I bartend in NYC. I get $5.00 an hour plus tips. I work in a nice Italian Restaurant. Almost all my tips are on credit cards which go on my paycheck and get taxed and the cash is claimed too off of sales. My boss expects me to create drink specials seasonally as well which I don't get paid any extra for. I do my best and try to get to know my customers and therefore have built up a nice clientele who tips rather well. The restaurant does add 18% gratuity to parties of 6 or more . Since I live in NYC I pay City as well as state tax. Employers do not have to pay regular minimum wage to wait and bar staff since it is expected that we will receive tips. My boss also charges us for our shift meal in the restaurant as well. We wanted to opt out of that but legally he can charge us whether we eat it or not.
I enjoy my job and work hard for my tips. I stock the bar, shlep up buckets of ice and cases of beer and wine. I start at 3 even though we don't open until 5:30. I know some of you have an issue with tipping but this is what I and many people live on. If you don't like the service talk to the manager. Please tip for good service!

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In some restaurants in Europe the service charge goes to the house and the waitstaff never sees it.

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I have no problem whatsoever with tipping (typically 20% for wait staff in my case). What you've just reminded me, however, is that I should tip in cash... which is difficult since I haven't actually had any cash in my wallet in many months. I shall make an effort to have a stash set aside for tipping.

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Tips are appreciated no matter what! I am actually glad (believe it or not) that my tips are taxed. I don't have to worry about owing taxes on them when I file my returns since they were already taxed or getting red flagged by the IRS. I pay taxes on tens of thousands of dollars in tips each year. I know people who have owed alot of money when they file or who have gotten audited when the IRS saw they were a bartender or waitress and claimed less than $5000 in income for the year!

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I have no problem with tipping, my only annoyance is when you get crappy service and then when you tip the bare minimum as a reflection, you are the asshole.

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Do you pay FICA, self employment taxes, or neither on tips?

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I pay it all. My tips go directly into my paycheck . In some restaurants you receive the credit cards tips as cash at the end of the night. I do not. Let's say my salary for the week was $200 ($5 an hour times 40 hours) My credit card tips were $1000. I'm lucky if I receive cash and if I do my employer taxes the tips on the cash sales. I would pay the full tax on $1200 plus whatever cash tips that I received.

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Every restaurant is different. I can only go by where I work.

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If you receive crappy service you should talk to the manager. Sometimes "crappy service" Is not the waitstaff's fault. The kitchen could be slow or behind or they could have a jerk for a bartender who is slow giving them drinos for the table. I used to manage as well. It was more hours and less money and a hell of alot more aggravation! You are

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I cut myself off. If the service is indeed the bar or waitstaff's fault you are not required to leave a good tip.

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You can't pay both. If you pay FICA, your employer matches that amount. If you pay self employment tax, you pay both the employee as well as the employers share.

From your statement, I suspect you pay FICA. Is that correct? You would only pay self employment tax if you were considered an independent contractor.

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I pay FICA

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Bartenders and waitstaff are not considered independent contractors.

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Thanks penguin bar - very useful insight - I'll tip in cash in future.

:thumbup:

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Just tip for good service please! Would love to see some of you in NYC sometime! I make some mean cocktails!

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Oh I understand that it is not always the servers/bartenders fault for crappy service. I was a bartender for 5 years before moving here and my dad has managed numerous pubs. But what I should have rather asked is, if the server/bartender is blatantly rude/giving you crappy service, perhaps even favoring specific customers, do you proceeds to tip them up the full extent? Or, do you tip them minimally and possibly feel like an asshole for doing so despite the situation?

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For what it's worth, I tip 15-20% as 'standard' in a restaurant - I'd tip a buck or two for a cocktail waiter in a bar and I'd tip a buck every round-ish for someone who just gives me beers (only so I get served quick enough!).

I have tipped 0 for bad service (even if the service isn't the fault of the wait staff I wouldn't look into it - bad service = lower tip. AWFUL service = no tip. If that's the kitchen's fault, I would suggest the servers take it up with the kitchen! I would also underpay for a meal if it was bad enough, but I have never yet done this without a manager reducing the bill for me), and I would tip 25 - 30% for exceptional service.

Coffee shops / fast food? No chance.

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Who cares? You aren't going back for a second dose of crappy service, are you? Any place where we feel a minimum tip is due definitely gets crossed off the list. We normally tip more than the 15-20% anyway, particularly if it's a place we are going to return to - wait staff often remembers you and future visits are more pleasant. Wait staff who actually interact with us, joking, teasing or just light chat usually get the bigger tips. :lol:

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We rarely eat at restaurants, I never go to the pub anymore and I cut my own hair. I hardly ever have to tip anyone :thumbsup:

The only time it comes up is in a restaurant though. Normally we'll round up the bill for the tip if the service is good, which ends up being up around 25%, but if they're shit, we just work out exactly 15% and bugger off. Nine times out of ten the service is fine - which stands to reason, if someone is relying on tips to make money then they are going to provide the best service they can.

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I don't think most people have a problem with tipping for good service.

It's just the expectation of having to tip for regular or subpar service.

Which isn't easy when it might not even be the servers fault, if the kitchen makes a mess of the food or holds things up.

Why this system is shit.

Sure you can talk to the manager, but what does that actually achieve? The chef spitting in your food when it next gets sent out and another delay.

It is the way it is though.

I also really hate the whole gaming the bar system. I want a drink, I pay for a drink, I expect it to be a solid drink, I don't expect it to be some weak shit that only gets a good top up if I'm a regular tipper or have to wait extra long because someone else is a regular tipper. Like I said though, that's just the way it is, so I rarely drink out.

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Remember its called gratuity. So for eating and drinking out and other service industries work out whether you were happy with the service, if you are tip. If not don't.

As service industry workers they know that they make most their money on tips, so if they don't meet my expectations they don't get tipped.

That said, I would always tip a hairdresser so they do not mess up my next cut..

I have spoken with restaurant managers before who have questioned why no tip and told them, but at the same time I have tipped well despite the kitchen messing up an order.