While most of this I found useful and generous, I think you should always tip on beverage orders. I always tip at least a dollar even with simple coffee orders and as someone who works in a wine bar, a beer order or single glass still takes time to pour. If you have no intention of tipping even a single dollar, I would prefer to serve someone who values my labor. I find it incredibly disappointing that you are encouraging your readers to not tip baristas and bartenders.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this! and this was by no means meant to be prescriptive, but more a way to start a discussion — I am very open to adjusting how I tip!
as a career bartender, I find it disappointing that someone who seems to care so deeply for restaurant workers would advocate for not tipping. Had I not been tipped $1/beer when working in a beer bar, I would have been making less than minimum wage every shift. Hospitality work goes far beyond the mere interaction of opening a bottle. The labor is physical, emotional. I would be happy to privately discuss this further, but I really hope this encourages you to reconsider your policy - or at minimum to not advertise it as though it is how everyone ought to tip, seeing as your advice is typically generous and fantastic, and I imagine your readers tend to follow it.
I appreciate you pointing this out and your thoughts on this. I completely over looked wine bars and beer-focused spots, too. And I am very open to shifting how I think about tipping, this was just sort of framework I found to be comfortable
I agree with everything you wrote. I always tip at least $1 for every beer bottle or wine glass. These people are working, after all (oh, and I always tip 10% on takeout).
I feel less strong about tipping handsomely if i am ordering pickup from someplace that pays their employees normal wages (think fast food, starbucks, any chain place, especially if they do not have to interact with me for me to pick up--rules are different for small business bc I understand the math and the utterly impossible situation sm biz owners are in, i tip more at small local biz), and I DO make the receipt an even number with tipping but always to the generous side. So for example if it's .12 less for 25 or 30%, then I would tip .88 to the next dollar, or $1.12 above whatever the tip amount is. (That math is not correct proportional to your example, but i am tired).
I almost always tip more than 30% at restaurants. I am a veteran of food service, having made my living in restaurants for a majority of my adulthood, even still, and I am 44. So I have always been a generous tipper. 30% minimum is a habit i got in during COVID. I viewed it as hazard pay. Usually I'm only paying for me, so I tip like 50%. If I am paying for others, I start at 30%. If things were bad, then I tip 20-25%.
I tip whatever the app instructs for 15-20% for delivery, depending on order size and how far the person has to drive, i also dont order farther than 3 miles from me. Again, i tip less for delivery because delivery drivers usually get paid normal money and have extra perks like being able to deduct vehicle expenses on their taxes because they are work related.
I used to tip delivery drivers in cash exclusively and then once I started ordering delivery from apps, there was no way to indicate that i would be tipping in cash so I got slow/bad service enuf times I just started tipping in the app.
I tip handsosmely for grocery delivery bc shopping sucks and i appreciate not having to do it. Sometimes supplement with cash to whatever i tipped in the app.
This is a very fun and reasonable guide! I like it! Tipping culture can be weird and confusing. I hope people use this and also hope somehow society changes and the government starts enforcing much higher minimum wages (while also supporting businesses though the transition so they don’t all close managing more reasonable wages) and affordable if not free healthcare for everyone, etc. ❤️
I also love the suggestion of tipping 100% just because - that is such an amazing and kind gesture. Brilliant.
While most of this I found useful and generous, I think you should always tip on beverage orders. I always tip at least a dollar even with simple coffee orders and as someone who works in a wine bar, a beer order or single glass still takes time to pour. If you have no intention of tipping even a single dollar, I would prefer to serve someone who values my labor. I find it incredibly disappointing that you are encouraging your readers to not tip baristas and bartenders.
I agree! A lot of time and thought and labor goes into that work even if you don’t see it at the time.
I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this! and this was by no means meant to be prescriptive, but more a way to start a discussion — I am very open to adjusting how I tip!
as a career bartender, I find it disappointing that someone who seems to care so deeply for restaurant workers would advocate for not tipping. Had I not been tipped $1/beer when working in a beer bar, I would have been making less than minimum wage every shift. Hospitality work goes far beyond the mere interaction of opening a bottle. The labor is physical, emotional. I would be happy to privately discuss this further, but I really hope this encourages you to reconsider your policy - or at minimum to not advertise it as though it is how everyone ought to tip, seeing as your advice is typically generous and fantastic, and I imagine your readers tend to follow it.
I appreciate you pointing this out and your thoughts on this. I completely over looked wine bars and beer-focused spots, too. And I am very open to shifting how I think about tipping, this was just sort of framework I found to be comfortable
I agree with everything you wrote. I always tip at least $1 for every beer bottle or wine glass. These people are working, after all (oh, and I always tip 10% on takeout).
I like almost all of this.
I feel less strong about tipping handsomely if i am ordering pickup from someplace that pays their employees normal wages (think fast food, starbucks, any chain place, especially if they do not have to interact with me for me to pick up--rules are different for small business bc I understand the math and the utterly impossible situation sm biz owners are in, i tip more at small local biz), and I DO make the receipt an even number with tipping but always to the generous side. So for example if it's .12 less for 25 or 30%, then I would tip .88 to the next dollar, or $1.12 above whatever the tip amount is. (That math is not correct proportional to your example, but i am tired).
I almost always tip more than 30% at restaurants. I am a veteran of food service, having made my living in restaurants for a majority of my adulthood, even still, and I am 44. So I have always been a generous tipper. 30% minimum is a habit i got in during COVID. I viewed it as hazard pay. Usually I'm only paying for me, so I tip like 50%. If I am paying for others, I start at 30%. If things were bad, then I tip 20-25%.
I tip whatever the app instructs for 15-20% for delivery, depending on order size and how far the person has to drive, i also dont order farther than 3 miles from me. Again, i tip less for delivery because delivery drivers usually get paid normal money and have extra perks like being able to deduct vehicle expenses on their taxes because they are work related.
I used to tip delivery drivers in cash exclusively and then once I started ordering delivery from apps, there was no way to indicate that i would be tipping in cash so I got slow/bad service enuf times I just started tipping in the app.
I tip handsosmely for grocery delivery bc shopping sucks and i appreciate not having to do it. Sometimes supplement with cash to whatever i tipped in the app.
that's a great point about grocery delivery!!
This is a great guide, thanks!
This is a very fun and reasonable guide! I like it! Tipping culture can be weird and confusing. I hope people use this and also hope somehow society changes and the government starts enforcing much higher minimum wages (while also supporting businesses though the transition so they don’t all close managing more reasonable wages) and affordable if not free healthcare for everyone, etc. ❤️
I also love the suggestion of tipping 100% just because - that is such an amazing and kind gesture. Brilliant.