Why forced tipping/gratuity in America is unethical, illogical, & infringes on free will!

[Voyager1]

I do not like to tip much where I'm from. I've left a tip then gotten a dirty look or not a thank you because the tip wasn't big enough. For that reason I just go to all you can eat buffets where you can get away with not tipping much or at all.

Here in Ukraine tipping is optional but even a small tip is appreciated.

[josephty2]

In vietnam tipping isn't really a thing. Otherwise they would raise the prices if they want more money.

[Mercury]

If America had the same kind of culture as, say, the Philippines and you went even to Hooters often and got a waitress (Hooters girl) that really liked you and served you often, you could be in her car and on your way to the closest Six Flags theme park; yes, even possibly Disney World or Busch Gardens, in as little as 3 months.

As it is, in fact, an American waitress while she is waitressing can be one of the sweetest people you ever met. But when she gets into a different field of work, she often becomes a restraining order waiting to happen. Same thing with bartenders. Even when they are waitressing, they make like it's a capital felony under Federal law for a waitress to even take her favorite common customer out for lunch, to a county fair, or anywhere.

Complicating it further, most waitresses are transients that are about to move 3 million miles or more again within the next few months. Even if she is absolutely bent on taking you out for lunch on your birthday, after she moves, you'll be lucky if she even has the energy to travel that enormous distance and take you out for lunch even 30 or 45 years later. In other words, if you are 25 and your favorite waitress just moved long distance but wants to take you for lunch on your birthday, you'll even be lucky if she can travel all the way back to your city of residence and take you out for lunch on your 70th, possibly even your 80th birthday!

[josephty2]

@Mercury

Thanks, I didn't know that

[Yohan]

I don't get something weird about most Americans.
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Tipping generously is like a religion in America.
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Also, why are Americans so giving to charity? If there is a charity drive on TV for something, lots of Americans like to donate to it. Why are they so generous to disaster victims who are strangers whom they've never met, but yet they aren't social with strangers when they meet them in public places? That's odd and inverted.
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Plus you don't have to tip in most other countries

Customs are different from country to country.

This is true, aggressive tipping is an annoyance in USA, wherever you go as a foreign visitor. For every little service you request in a hotel, staff is openly demanding a tip in return. Same with taxi drivers, deliveries and various other jobs. Tips are even 'strongly requested' on the bill, you should add some tip when you pay with a credit card. I have never seen something like that elsewhere.

The reason is likely because of very low and unregulated salaries for such kind of jobs in the States. It was always like that in the States and this will not change easily in future I guess. As an employee in some service related jobs without tips you cannot survive in the States.

Same with charities, USA does not have any real social security system for everybody - you can only pray to the Lord, if you are poor and in troubles, because your own country, USA will not protect you. Poor means you have no health insurance, no insurance against accidents, no chance for a retirement allowance...
The difference between poor and rich is remarkable in the States, therefore if people hear about a person in serious troubles they give away a few dollars...
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It is true that most 1st world countries do have some national social network, USA is rather backwarded in this sense. Many other developed countries operate a fairly good social system and even low paid workers are protected with minimum pay and old people with minimum retirement allowances, and nothing to worry about medical bills or being jobless etc. etc.

I am living here in Japan, and tipping was never and is nowhere an issue. It is totally out of question, even considered as an insult if you try to offer a tip in Japan. There is the system of a fixed price - often not cheap. You pay what is on the bill of the restaurant, or you pay what the taxi-meter shows, and the concerned person will give you honestly the change if you pay cash and up the smallest coin of 1 yen.

In other countries, not really high developed, like in Thailand, my second home, tips are thankfully accepted, but not really expected - despite low salaries. - You give something, that's ok, and you give nothing, that's OK too. Staff will never demand a tip.
Many places have a 'tip-box' - people when leaving the restaurant, gas-station, car-wash place etc. often put some coins inside - but nobody will tell you 'give me a tip'.

[Winston]

When I was in Cambodia, at a canteen I talked to two British ladies vacationing there. They told me that in Britain, tipping is optional. The waiters there are not going to give you dirty looks or look offended if you don't tip. But you can if you want to of course. Same in Germany, a German guy told me. So it's not FORCED like in America. I then realized how stupid it is to FORCE tipping in America as if it were an unspoken law that you will be shamed for if you don't comply. Even your friends will see you as an asshole and shame you if you don't leave a tip. Hence in America it is FORCED by a social obligation, even if it's not a legal one.

The British ladies also told me that one time they were in NYC and did not leave a tip, and the waiters got angry and told their manager. The manager told them, "Excuse me, but the waitstaff depend on tips for their living." The British ladies replied, "Well it's not our problem. Sorry." lol. If only more people did that.

So basically, America INFRINGES upon your FREE WILL when it forces you to tip. It should be an OPTION, from the heart, not mandatory. This is common law ethics in a free country. So again, America is not a free country after all, since it always tries to force you to do things you don't want to, including gratuity. That's wrong and unethical and infringes upon our free will. Why does no one talk about this publicly online or in public lectures and TED Talks, or in alternative media podcasts and channels? There are lots of topics like this that no one ever touches. All the media cares about is racial equality and diversity, and all the alternative media talks about is how the government is taking away our freedoms and how the NWO is going to take away American sovereignty. Nothing else ever gets talked about. Very weird.

Why don't more people talk about this or make it a hot topic issue, instead of racial equality or gay rights or gender equality, which is boring as f**k, and always talked about with no end and no result in the US media? People will never treat all races and genders as equals no matter what. So it's a waste of time to keep talking about it, but that's all the media does, and that's all Obama talked about during his 8 wasted years in office. So stupid and low IQ. Why talk about a totally useless topic like that without end and wasting millions of dollars in advertising revenue? Very low IQ and moronic. Why not talk about something else, such as the wrongness of forced grauity in America? Or the high cost of living compared to the 50's and 60's, or the lack of moral values or social connection in America, etc? Those are far more important and useful and relevant topics, which are achievable and realistic, compared to racial equality or gender equality which is unachievable and impossible and will NEVER happen. Very weird.

I don't understand people or society. Everyone seems to be raving mad today, including the media and alternative media.

[Winston]

I do not like to tip much where I'm from. I've left a tip then gotten a dirty look or not a thank you because the tip wasn't big enough. For that reason I just go to all you can eat buffets where you can get away with not tipping much or at all.

Here in Ukraine tipping is optional but even a small tip is appreciated.

Don't buffets in America expect you to at least leave a dollar for the person picking up your plates and pouring your drinks? In Las Vegas buffets, my Taiwanese relatives usually leave at least a dollar per person (if there are four of us at the table, they leave four dollars) for the waitstaff who collects our plates and brings our drinks. I think that's stupid but they are wealthy and don't mind. Do all Americans do that at buffets? Is it expected?

[Winston]

The ugly truth about tipping and why you shouldn't do it.

[Daddy Wu]

When I was in Cambodia, {GAB-GAB, GAB-GAB...}

Winston! My son!

Who force you to eat lunch buffet?? Chinese Communist party???!!

Eat in home!! Then no pay for tip!!

Use free will to be smart man! Not dumbass!!

Listen to Daddy!!!!

Love,
Your Daddy

[flowerthief00]

It's the most retarded custom America has. In Hawaii it's even worse, if you can imagine it, where there are restaurants that print out a mandatory tip of 15 or 18% on your bill. You don't even get to choose to pay less than that.

But Hawaii thankfully doesn't have Daylight Savings Time.

[HouseMD]

I don't get something weird about most Americans. Why are they SOOOOOO generous when it comes to tipping and gratuities at a restaurant or bar? They seem to get off on giving big tips for some reason. Most tip at least 5 dollars, even for a 20 dollar meal, and do it happily and proudly. Often they are glad to tip even more than 15 percent. Most Americans I know are like that. Tipping generously is like a religion in America.

Geez. The waiter or bartender is just a stranger doing his or her job, not a friend. So why do they give a f**k about them? Why do they treat the waiter like he or she is a family member or friend, and care so much about him or her? That is friggin weird.

However, when a stranger wants to socialize with them, Americans get standoffish and distant and have a "mind your own business" type of attitude. But when a stranger is a waiter, suddenly they are so generous and caring toward them. WTF?! I don't get that. It's weird.

Yet almost all Americans love to overtip or give generous tips. Why? What makes them do that? I thought Americans are individualists and freethinkers, or so they think, so why do they all conform to that weird habit of tipping generously? Where's the individualism and right to be different and not be generous in tipping?

Plus all a waiter does is bring a dish from the kitchen to the table. Anyone can do that. It's not hard at all. So why is that deserving of a generous tip? I don't get it.

Also, why are Americans so giving to charity? If there is a charity drive on TV for something, lots of Americans like to donate to it. Why are they so generous to disaster victims who are strangers whom they've never met, but yet they aren't social with strangers when they meet them in public places? That's odd and inverted.

If they care about strangers so much, why not invite the strangers in their neighborhood out for a walk, for a meal, or invite them to their place for dinner or coffee? I don't get it.

Americans are weird and INVERTED. I don't get them. I'm the opposite of them. I don't like to tip, because it's stupid and I hate wasting money. The prices in American restaurants are already way too high. And why should I give a f**k about the waiters? They are strangers and they don't give a f**k about me either. They don't call me when I'm lonely, or spend time with me. So why should I give a f**k about them?! It doesn't make sense. Most of those waiters are probably selfish bastards deep down anyway.

Plus you don't have to tip in most other countries, so why should I happily tip in the US? Why should I have to follow every custom in a "free country"? Why do Americans conform to overtipping all the time?

I prefer being social with strangers and not tipping, so I'm the inverse of the standard American.

Americans are very weird in that they aren't very social or open, but they are generous with money toward strangers if they are waiters or if they need charity. I don't get that, since I'm the opposite of that. I get more pleasure out of saving money than wasting it on strangers.

Sucks to be a cheapskate.

Servers make around $3 an hour in my state, and depend on tips for the rest of their income. I would prefer that they were paid a living wage and meals were more expensive but topping was not allowed, however this is a longstanding cultural practice. Whether food is 20% more expensive and the increased cost pays for service or whether I pay that 20% directly to the server doesn't matter to me. This is a holdover to reduce costs to businesses to help them through lean times while keeping waitstaff employed, as it is much more costly to provide base hourly wages plus taxes than it is to let your staff be paid as business comes in

[HouseMD]

The ugly truth about tipping and why you shouldn't do it.

By not tipping you literally cost the server money for having served you, since federal taxes are calculated based on 10% of meal costs. If you don't tip them on a $50 meal, they get charged taxes based on a $5 tip, which will be about $1.50, reducing their minimum wage of $2.13 down to $0.63 for the hour of work. If you order an expensive enough meal they actually would be paying to serve you.

If you are too poor to tip, you shouldn't be eating out

[Will N. Dowd]

It's the same stupidity in Canada.
Another reason I hardly ever eat out anywhere.
If I do it's usually pizza chains, when they have 50% off for online pickup orders so no tipping.

Eating out has many negatives, and tipping is the "tip" of the iceberg:

Tips
The menu price doesn't include tax and tips.
Not knowing what ingredients are in the food.
Much higher cost of food and drinks than cooking yourself at home.
Unless it's fast food, it can take a long time to get in and out of restaurants.

I've got to the point where I'm almost embarrassed to go to restaurants, because it makes me feel stupid for not being able to cook it myself.
I'm proud to say I prefer my own food because I can make it myself, how and whenever I want for much less than a restaurant can, and I know exactly what's in it.

The whole restaurant and especially western fast food culture has made people fat, lazy and poor.
The Japanese do it the best, since they eat mostly healthy food and say no to tipping.

Some restaurants in Canada experimented with no tipping but reverted back to tipping:
https://www.tvo.org/article/whatever-ha ... -it-failed

[Yohan]

The Japanese do it the best, since they eat mostly healthy food and say no to tipping.

This is really a good thing here in Japan.

Staff working in restaurants and hotels etc, including part timers and occasional workers expect a reasonable salary, or at least paid per hour something like USD 12,- in the large cities and USD 9.,- in rural areas.

Tipping from a customer to an employee is considered even as an insult, indicating that the employee is a really poor guy.

Prices everywhere have to be shown including any tax, service charges etc. Hidden costs are not allowed.

However often Japanese employees in case of good business expect additional bonus pay or at least in case of a good business day a tip from the employer out of his wallet. - Tips for employees are not the business of the customer.

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USA is terrible in this sense, really tip-crazy - it's not only about restaurants, it's about hotel staff, delivery of items, haircut, taxi driver, car service...

just everybody who is doing something for you expects a tip and often in a very aggessive way.

USA seems not to be so expensive if you see a price list etc. but sometimes you have to add up to 50 percent for hidden costs and tips.

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I have never seen that anywhere else worldwide - however Japan is a bit the exception - flatly refusing to accept tips and even feel insulted is rather unusual.

In other countries in Asia and Europe I know - in restaurants the waiter will bring you the bill - you pay and he will bring the receipt/change to your table. Up to you what you leave on the table as tip. It will be collected after you leave the restaurant.

Some other cheap restaurants where you pay in advance, self service buffet etc. often have a tip-box as many customers refuse to accept small change and the cashier will collect these coins in the tip-box - it will be later be given to all staff.

[Yohan]

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Yet almost all Americans love to overtip or give generous tips. Why? What makes them do that?
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Also, why are Americans so giving to charity?
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Sucks to be a cheapskate.
Servers make around $3 an hour in my state, and depend on tips for the rest of their income.

Tips are OK, but as an employer to FORCE employees to make a living out solely because of tips is shameful.

Why should be a TIP mandatory? For what? And why is the person who does not want to tip a cheapskate?

The salaries paid by the employer to staff is not the business of the customer.

The point is more about that the legal system is somehow broken, if service staff needs TIPS to survive.

If no customers are coming how can this be the fault of the staff, which has to be present during working time?

There should be legally a reasonable minimum wage, regardless if the restaurant has customers or not. To pay USD 3,- as a salary per hour is a joke/shame for a developed country.

To pay so much for charities is also a sign that the system is broken, there is no social thinking, the government does not care if a person is getting sick and is unable to pay for medical bills (which are seriously overpriced compared to the rest of this world), it does not care if a person is living in the street because he is unable to fight for his rights because of overpriced legal fees etc.

Even in Russia, Putin is very sensible about complaining workers if employers unwilling to pay their (anyway low) wages - unlike any president in the USA who does not care...

For example she should receive about USD 1.100,- per month, but they pay her only about 330,-



Paid nothing to his workers



Closed the factories, still owning money to workers...