Opinion on restaurants with tipping % options on 15/20/25% instead of 10/15/20%?

Feb 20th, 2017 7:41 pm

#1

brobinsoncc [OP]: Deal Addict; Apr 20, 2012; 1861 posts; 1298 upvotes; Waterloo, ON

Feb 20th, 2017 7:41 pm

Opinion on restaurants with tipping % options on 15/20/25% instead of 10/15/20%?

Just wondering what people think of this. I have noticed a few places who have changed their machine presets to 15/20/25 which I feel is a little presumptuous and once you hit the % button, expecting to tip 10%, you're basically forced to go 15%.

Feb 20th, 2017 7:53 pm

#2

Raggie: Deal Fanatic; Jul 29, 2005; 9208 posts; 3086 upvotes; Mississauga

Feb 20th, 2017 7:53 pm

I overwrite it and input my own amount.

And if restaurants expect us to tip 25 percent, they are nuts.

My food blog - Reggie The Food Critic.

+9

Feb 20th, 2017 7:59 pm

#3

rliuthu: Sr. Member; Nov 23, 2012; 563 posts; 259 upvotes; Toronto

Feb 20th, 2017 7:59 pm

Yes, I almost always choose to input $ so I can choose an amount that sounds good to me:)

+2

Feb 20th, 2017 7:59 pm

#4

carmaster: Deal Expert; Jun 30, 2006; 20941 posts; 9542 upvotes; Toronto

Feb 20th, 2017 7:59 pm

I enter my own amount. 25% or even 20% is way way too much.

+5

Feb 20th, 2017 8:00 pm

#5

TodayHello: Deal Fanatic; Dec 8, 2007; 5513 posts; 2160 upvotes

Feb 20th, 2017 8:00 pm

People still tip? Eww.

Just kidding. Override.

Hydropwnics wrote:"TodayHello is a certified hustler and original gangster."

0

Feb 20th, 2017 8:05 pm

#6

shorfd: Sr. Member; Feb 18, 2014; 684 posts; 1409 upvotes

Feb 20th, 2017 8:05 pm

I never use the presets because they are almost always set to calculate the gratuity on the total bill instead of the pre-tax amount.

+13

Feb 20th, 2017 8:23 pm

#7

MaxPower19: Deal Addict; Dec 22, 2008; 2162 posts; 965 upvotes; Victoria

Feb 20th, 2017 8:23 pm

Agree 100%.

As soon as 20% becomes the norm, then they'll push for 25%, and then they'll push for 30%. There is no rational argument that explains why 15% has somehow become the minimum acceptable when for ages it was 10%. The service industry pushes it because in theory, higher paid staff will be better quality people, but consumers should probably resist.

+6

Feb 20th, 2017 8:32 pm

#8

Dynasty12345: Deal Addict; Jun 12, 2015; 2515 posts; 1034 upvotes; Ontario

Feb 20th, 2017 8:32 pm

Always override. They can put what they want, I could care less.

% Tipping is ridiculous. Ordering a more expensive dish because of expensive ingredients, doesnt change the fact that the level of service is the exact same for a cheaper menu item. Simple example, $15 pasta dish vs 40$ lobster dish. At the end of the day, server brought you a dish. Why pay more in tip because the ingredients are expensive?

+8

Feb 20th, 2017 9:05 pm

#9

rliuthu: Sr. Member; Nov 23, 2012; 563 posts; 259 upvotes; Toronto

Feb 20th, 2017 9:05 pm

I always hate the tipping culture in North America, why not just include it in the price of food? It is not like places don't tip has horrible service, such as Asia.

I always only care about the food itself, the waiter just take order and bring out food. I don't care if he is a good waiter or not.

+3

Feb 20th, 2017 9:21 pm

#10

DiceMan: Deal Fanatic; Aug 16, 2010; 7297 posts; 4584 upvotes; Between Countries

Feb 20th, 2017 9:21 pm

+1 to what everbody has said - overide to a $ amount suitable to the service. Anyone still complaining about having to tip after that should probably eat at home.

+2

Feb 21st, 2017 7:46 am

#11

speedyforme: Deal Guru; Dec 11, 2008; 12369 posts; 3081 upvotes

Feb 21st, 2017 7:46 am

I honestly didn't even notice any change because I always do $ amount instead of %

Feb 21st, 2017 10:47 am

#12

jrbb0309: Sr. Member; Jan 8, 2009; 933 posts; 649 upvotes; Simcoe County

Feb 21st, 2017 10:47 am

We ignore the presets as well, although I was surprised to see that one of our favourite places has a 13% choice plus 10 and 15

My biggest pet peeve is that the presets are usually calculated on the aftertax total instead of the pretax amount.

+2

Feb 21st, 2017 11:24 am

#13

ProfSP: Newbie; Oct 22, 2014; 17 posts; 1 upvote

Feb 21st, 2017 11:24 am

jrbb0309 wrote: ↑ We ignore the presets as well, although I was surprised to see that one of our favourite places has a 13% choice plus 10 and 15

My biggest pet peeve is that the presets are usually calculated on the aftertax total instead of the pretax amount.

Having the 13% makes it so it's worth the same as 15% before taxes. They're nice to have included that option.

Feb 21st, 2017 12:07 pm

#14

matradley: Deal Addict; Nov 10, 2005; 2052 posts; 343 upvotes; Ottawa

Feb 21st, 2017 12:07 pm

I went to a Chinese restaurant recently where the Server told a customer that the "tip is not included" in the price. The Server went on to explain that many places include a 10-20% tip in the pricing - I am not aware of many places actually doing this. I have been exposed to auto-gratuity from time-to-time.

RFD 15 73H 1337

+1

Feb 21st, 2017 12:15 pm

#15

Chickinvic: Deal Fanatic; Dec 27, 2009; 7912 posts; 5454 upvotes; Victoria, BC

Feb 21st, 2017 12:15 pm

matradley wrote: ↑ I went to a Chinese restaurant recently where the Server told a customer that the "tip is not included" in the price. The Server went on to explain that many places include a 10-20% tip in the pricing - I am not aware of many places actually doing this. I have been exposed to auto-gratuity from time-to-time.

They don't (and if it is, they have to say so). The only time I've seen it is for larger parties (and again, it is made clear that tip is being added). I would avoid any place like the plague that included a gratuity into the price.

+2

Feb 21st, 2017 1:15 pm

#16

JKKim2983: Deal Addict; Sep 19, 2015; 2273 posts; 872 upvotes; Kleinburg, ON.

Feb 21st, 2017 1:15 pm

Some buffets are forcing tip on the bill now even if it's just a party of two.

Day & Night Hotpot comes to mind, and Korean Grill House at Commerce Gate, both in Richmond Hill. They both forced a 15% gratuity without informing you on the menu beforehand even though we were a party of 2.

Can they even do that for a party of 2?? Large parties of 6 or 8 and more is understandable but just 2 people?

+2

Feb 21st, 2017 2:36 pm

#17

jdmfishingonly: Deal Fanatic; Oct 13, 2008; 7102 posts; 3626 upvotes; Durham

Feb 21st, 2017 2:36 pm

Why press the % button on the terminal? Press the $ button.

It's simple to do 10% of before tax ... which is the PROPER way of tipping! Always before taxes ...

Simple math ... if the bill was $104.86 after taxes ... just look at the bill first! It would be $92.80 in Ontario ... and then just punch in the tips as $9.28 ... moving the decimal place??? SIMPLE!

I ONLY TIP more if the service was exceptional ... otherwise I stick with the STANDARD of 10% ...

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+5

Feb 21st, 2017 3:08 pm

#18

fryguy1987: Member; Jan 3, 2017; 435 posts; 417 upvotes

Feb 21st, 2017 3:08 pm

Any place that included the gratuity in the bill without notifying me first would get me refusing to pay the tip at the end. I would insist on paying my own tip, for what I felt the service was worth.

And yes, I tip every time but I'm not paying a standard fee. If the service was crap I'll tip a buck or two. If the service was exceptional I'll tip 20%

It's no different than the hospitality tax that's charged in Niagra in restaurants and hotels. It's included in the bill but I refuse to pay every time it's charged. Always seem to get a server or manager telling me it's mandatory when it's not and I pretty much tell them to bugger off and I'm not paying it.

+2

Feb 21st, 2017 4:12 pm

#19

MP3_SKY: Deal Guru; Jul 12, 2003; 12385 posts; 4908 upvotes; Toronto

Feb 21st, 2017 4:12 pm

JKKim2983 wrote: ↑ Some buffets are forcing tip on the bill now even if it's just a party of two.

Day & Night Hotpot comes to mind, and Korean Grill House at Commerce Gate, both in Richmond Hill. They both forced a 15% gratuity without informing you on the menu beforehand even though we were a party of 2.

Can they even do that for a party of 2?? Large parties of 6 or 8 and more is understandable but just 2 people?

A lot of Asian restaurant and AYCE sushi buffet does,
Have to read the bill carefully, so you don't double tip.

I agree that tip shouldn't be mandatory, perhaps a lot of their clients are so cheap not to tip them or very minimal, so they started this trick to ensure the waiter/waitress's income/living.

Retired Forum Moderator February 2009 - June 2015

+1

Feb 21st, 2017 4:50 pm

#20

Guest8456458484: Deal Guru; Mar 14, 2005; 13811 posts; 2511 upvotes

Feb 21st, 2017 4:50 pm

Tip 0%

+3