Hey Folks!

I’ve been living abroad for over half my life in a country where tipping is not the norm. At most you would round up. 19€ bill? Here’s a 20, keep this change.

Going to the US soon to visit family and the whole idea of tipping makes me nervous. It seems there’s a lot of discussion about getting rid of tipping, but I don’t know how much has changed in this regard.

The system seems ridiculously unfair, and that extra expense in a country where everything is already so expensive really makes a difference.

So will AITA if I don’t tip? Is it really my personal responsibility to make sure my server is paid enough?

  • kn0wmad1c
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    1 year ago

    As I recall, restaurants can get by with giving workers well below minimum wage because of tips.

    EDIT: I just re-read your post

    • Saik0
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      31 year ago

      https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/minimum-wage/tipped

      This is a great resource when these discussions come up. Many states do NOT adhere to the $2.13 tipped wage.

      In my state (AZ) it’s $10.85. People here still complain about tips. The minimum wage here is $13.85. The $3 difference is nearly guaranteed as long as long as you have 1 table an hour. Forget that the normal where I live is probably closer to 3-4 every hour. [I recognize that other areas may not have such traffic. But I can only comment on what I observe]

      If the average table is leaving ~$5 in tips… you could easily make $30 an hour in wages.

      This is why I say what I say… It’s absurd when I hear local news or something complaining. $30/hr is stupid “livable”.

      • kn0wmad1c
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        11 year ago

        My state is listed in the “required to pay full minimum wage” category. Good to know.