Tipping

[MIKE_G]

In Germany now and enjoying feeling like a big tipper when I leave an extra Euro on top of rounding up to the nearest Euro. Can't say I miss having the waiter/waitress up my ass the whole meal either. It's not like they refill drinks here anyway, so there's little reason to see them other than to take your order, being your food, and bring the check.

 

[West Duval Nole]

They aren't paying taxes on 90% of their tips, which is most of their income, so it evens out.

Unless everyone followed the no tipping policy, then the server had to come out of pocket to work and then gets taxed on wages they didn't earn as usually I believe servers have to report like 10% of your bills as tip income.

 

[Fijimn]

They aren't paying taxes on 90% of their tips, which is most of their income, so it evens out.

If it is a cash tip. But most places have tracking software the calculates and reports to the IRS what you should be reporting at tip income based on your table sales. I always reported all my tips because I was afraid of the audit. There was an article or blog from a British bartender about how he knew which of the patrons were Americans -- mostly because they tipped on beer and drinks.

 

[TexSkills]

In Germany now and enjoying feeling like a big tipper when I leave an extra Euro on top of rounding up to the nearest Euro. Can't say I miss having the waiter/waitress up my ass the whole meal either. It's not like they refill drinks here anyway, so there's little reason to see them other than to take your order, being your food, and bring the check.

Don't most European restaurants add tip to the total check anyway?

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Don't most European restaurants add tip to the total check anyway?

No - they pay their employees adequately from the jump rather than subjecting diners to the (easy but unnecessary) mental gymnastics of calculating tips.

 

[Fijimn]

Don't most European restaurants add tip to the total check anyway?

I don't think so because the servers are paid a living wage. That's why there is no tipping and restaurant costs are higher.

 

[MIKE_G]

Yes, servers in Europe are paid a decent salary. They don't work for tips. It's more of a serious profession than in the U.S.

 

[RTM58]

Unless everyone followed the no tipping policy, then the server had to come out of pocket to work and then gets taxed on wages they didn't earn as usually I believe servers have to report like 10% of your bills as tip income.

If you can't make more than 10%, you need to go into management.

Never worked for tips in Europe, but I also never had a problem with our system. It worked well enough to cover five years of college.

From a travel website:
Restaurant tips are more modest in Europe than in America. At restaurants, check the menu to see if service is included; if it isn’t, a tip of 5–10 percent is normal. In most places, 10 percent is a big tip. Please believe me — tipping 15 or 20 percent in Europe is unnecessary, if not culturally ignorant.

 

[RTM58]

He probably had to pay taxes on the 'cash' tip he didn't collect, but he's probably OK with it.

 

[divinnole]

Here is my tipping rant, if you can call it such. And just for the record I am in the 20% tipping range for good service.

Years ago the accepted tip was 10% for good service and generally you had to be a very poor waiter/ess not to get that amount. Then inflation hit and the price of food goes up, did not the wait staff receive a raise at the same time based on the 10% rule. Here is an example, at my favorite seafood restaurant(Capt. Andersons in PC) 25 years ago the bill for the wife and myself ran about $40-$45. So the waitress would typically get a $5 tip from us. Each waitress usually had 5 tables and the typical dinning time was an hour so they were making $25/hr. We ate there one night last week. The bill for the 2 of us was $78. So based on the 10% she would have received an $8 tip. With 5 tables she would have made $40/hr. However now it seems 20% is the norm for tips. So now the wait staff is making $80/hr. I know some of the wait staff there so I know the $80/hr is not an exaggeration. Now I know they will not make that for every hour they are duty since prep work and clean up time is involved, but still a typical nights pay for the summer season will exceed $500 for most of them. I don't think there is any other non skill profession were the earnings have outpaced inflation as much as with waitresses/waiters.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Here is my tipping rant, if you can call it such. And just for the record I am in the 20% tipping range for good service.

Years ago the accepted tip was 10% for good service and generally you had to be a very poor waiter/ess not to get that amount. Then inflation hit and the price of food goes up, did not the wait staff receive a raise at the same time based on the 10% rule. Here is an example, at my favorite seafood restaurant(Capt. Andersons in PC) 25 years ago the bill for the wife and myself ran about $40-$45. So the waitress would typically get a $5 tip from us. Each waitress usually had 5 tables and the typical dinning time was an hour so they were making $25/hr. We ate there one night last week. The bill for the 2 of us was $78. So based on the 10% she would have received an $8 tip. With 5 tables she would have made $40/hr. However now it seems 20% is the norm for tips. So now the wait staff is making $80/hr. I know some of the wait staff there so I know the $80/hr is not an exaggeration. Now I know they will not make that for every hour they are duty since prep work and clean up time is involved, but still a typical nights pay for the summer season will exceed $500 for most of them. I don't think there is any other non skill profession were the earnings have outpaced inflation as much as with waitresses/waiters.

You could make the same argument about real estate agents.

 

[divinnole]

You could make the same argument about real estate agents.

Don't real estate agents still make the same % on sales or has it gone up to?

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Don't real estate agents still make the same % on sales or has it gone up to?

Same % (in fact some companies like Opendoor are starting to disrupt that - rightfully so), however is an agent that makes $60,000 on a $1m home sale really working 10x harder than an agent who makes $6,000 on a $100,000 home sale? I think not.

It's just another field where commissions need to be flattened - frankly if it weren't for the need for someone to literally unlock the door and make sure you don't steal the home owner's crap, the whole profession could be eliminated or at least unlicensed.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Same % (in fact some companies like Opendoor are starting to disrupt that - rightfully so), however is an agent that makes $60,000 on a $1m home sale really working 10x harder than an agent who makes $6,000 on a $100,000 home sale? I think not.

It's just another field where commissions need to be flattened - frankly if it weren't for the need for someone to literally unlock the door and make sure you don't steal the home owner's crap, the whole profession could be eliminated or at least unlicensed.

Yes, that's what I meant.

 

[southgateNOLE]

They aren't paying taxes on 90% of their tips, which is most of their income, so it evens out.

Well that's just wholeheartedly wrong.