Tipping in the United States has become a hot topic lately and one that we’ve written about frequently. My post: Has tipping in the United States gotten out of control? sparked a lively comments section, as did this story asking readers: Should you tip on takeout?
A traveler recently shared a photo of his receipt from an airport restaurant where the waiter scratched out the two lowest tip suggestions, which automatically printed on the bottom of the receipt and circled the highest suggested option of 20%. This happened at Not Your Average Joe’s in Boston’s Logan International Airport Terminal B. See the post below:
Post by @kvng_breezeyView on Threads
Threads user @kvng_breezey posted it with the caption: “waiter demanding 20% is crazy.” Not surprisingly, the internet has thoughts … and so do I. It looks like the majority of viewers agree with what I think. I almost always tip 20% but if the service is really bad or if the waiter has the gall to demand 20%, they will most likely get nothing. RELATED: Your guide to tipping in the 25 most popular countries around the world
On the flip side, it seems there are plenty of people who think nothing of the audacity of the waiter and think everyone who thinks this person deserves less than 20% is being cheap. Surprisingly, the comment with the most likes read: “Everybody should be tipping 20% minimum for table service now. Can’t believe all the cheap ____ here.”
Here are the other most popular comments:
@theeladydivine: I had one person do this to me at Olive Garden. I ordered my meal online, went inside and got it myself. I had someone come after me telling me there was a mistake because there wasn’t a tip. I told him that the only mistake was made by him thinking he was entitled to a tip. That’s the last time I went.
@barbaraz721: I recently ordered a $10 glass of wine. I placed a $20 on the bar so that I’d get a $5 and 5 $1s and could tip $2. The waiter placed a $5 and 3 $1s. He helped himself to his tip from my change. Although I go to that establishment weekly, I will never again patronize the bar. Also contemplating other steps.
@rachelmariebowers: Guys idk how many times I have to say this. The tips are how they make their living. And I know all yall are gonna say that you shouldn’t be responsible for how much they get paid. Actually, that is how all businesses make money. By people. You should absolutely be tipping your servers and if you don’t want to, then you shouldn’t be going out to eat
@dodo2761: I’m from the U.K. and been to New York 5-6 times. It’s been quite common for the waiter to write in and underline the tip amount. One underlined so much it ripped the paper.
@ryeryechu: I don’t mind 20% tbh but if you demand it that’s immediately 5% tip or less
@marcotripuya: I don’t mind tipping and I typically do 20% because it’s easy math. But if anyone insists I tip, they will be getting ZERO tip and I will absolutely not feel bad about it.
@benjamin.h21r: Regardless of the service provided, as soon as you ask for a tip no matter how much, you will be getting nothing.
@k4rm4l4rm: That’s one way to guarantee you don’t get a tip. Don’t presume you have influence over how I choose to spend my money.
@bassplayer45: I’d give him a nickel and a big ?? (that’s bloody pretentious, especially for an airport restaurant)
Again, I almost always tip 20% when I eat out, which is often since I travel so much but in my book, a tip should be given for good service and that includes not demanding to get 20%. I also think tipping has gotten out of control in the USA as you now get pressured to tip on takeout or even at places that don’t have table service. I was once prompted to tip at a place where I was grabbing a bag of candy for my kids!
How about you? Has a waiter ever scratched out the two lowest suggested tips? And if they did, would you be offended, as I am?
On a related note, I traveled through Boston’s Logan twice this week on my way to Nantucket. While getting ice cream at Millie’s, I saw one of the most clever tip jars around, pictured above. Now THAT’S how you generate more tips.
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I am just tired of tipping for mediocre service or servers being polite. If I get an outstanding server, friendly, efficient, maybe with a sense of humor I might tip 30-40% but if I get a surly server, and if anyone would cross out the other tip options and only want 20% they will get nothing. If this is how they make their living, these people should be better to get the tips they deserve.
Airline employee in Jamaica pushed my wife’s wheelchair through the airport. I handed him a $10 bill and he said Aw come on it is worth at least $20. I said let me look if I have a five then I put it all back in my pocket NOTIP
If a waiter has 7 tables in an hour and gets $7.50 tip at each table he will be making more than most degreed engineers or nurses. This is getting crazy everyone in this country wants everything for nothing. Moron
waiters.
Yeah, except that half the people on here that say they tip unless someone demands a tip most likely don’t tip at all and are lying cheapskate pieces of s***. But we’ll go with your story 😆!!
No i don’t think you should tip on to go orders or some places now change a tip if you call it in that is bs and I tip on how good the service was thank you
As a retired person who travels solo around the world pretty much full time, I never tip. Anywhere. I find it demeaning and, especially in Asia, a real power trip on the part of western travelers. Several times, however, if I have been going to the same restaurant often for days or weeks, I’ll quietly give the owner a gift certificate to a local pizzeria (or similar) and treat the entire staff to lunch. To me, tipping is like saying “Here my good man, enjoy this pittance, and don’t forget to shower me with gratitude on my way out. I have plenty of money and you apparently have none.”
No. Employers at all businesses should pay their employees properly, predictably, so that they have the ability to create a budget.
Tipping is a useless, unnecessary anachronism. Workers should do a good job, no matter the profession. Tip if there’s something unusual or extraordinary, but not as a way of lying about prices.