To be not looking forward to NYC holiday

[Kakamora]

Because of a post I’ve just seen about servers complaining they’ve had a tip that doesn’t reflect what they spent on food.

Yes I know that tips top up their wages but I want to take my mum on some pretty fancy dinners while we’re there and just because I spend $100 dollars which I’ve saved up my minimum wage money for, I don’t see why some server thinks that’s entitles he to a $20 tip because I’m spending a lot of money.

It is annoying me thinking I will have to save around an additional £150 for tip money. I always tip, but I don’t think waitresses here in the U.K. (which I am part time, think that spending £100 you know people have budgeted for warrants an expensive tip

We would never dream of going to other cultures other than the US and not following their cultural norms so what is it about US culture that means we feel we dont have to follow theirs. Because it is a cultural norm and food prices and wages reflect that

New York is my favourite city and I have never found their servers rude, quite the opposite. I feel they go out of their way to earn that tip. Last time I went with a 5 month old and the staff were very accommodating. Probably helps that I'm Scottish so they all like to tell me their families are Scottish!

The reason for the sales tax not being included on the sticker is that every State (and then every county and city within the State) sets their own sales tax rate. So in Bay Area, California you'll pay 9% say, in LA you might pay 8.75%. In Vegas it might be 8%, NY 9.25% and in Oregon no sales tax at all. I do a lot of shopping when we visit Oregon! Everywhere else I just assume it's going to be roughly 10% and it's not such a shock when I get to the checkout with my $50 purchase and the server says "$54.72 please."

Gosh all this angst.

Just budget 18% for the tip, then leave that much.

No need to agonise over how much to leave, or argue with the wait staff, or get chased down the street.

It's really not that complicated.

You shouldn’t be visiting other places.

I don't like it that their wages are made of tips, it's a ridiculous, unfair system but that's not the waiters fault! They have served you they deserve to be paid, and in the us that's your job not the restaurants. It's just a cost of NYC

If you can't afford the tips you can't afford the restaurant. It's a bit like saying you can afford a 5* hotel but can't afford the flights to get there, you would need a cheaper hotel to afford the flights and in this case you will need a cheaper restaurant to afford the tips. YWBVU to not tip unless the service was awful! It's just rude and the only person who suffers is the server.

Then be decent and tell them upfront you won't be tipping. It's their wage. It's how they feed their families. They can then refuse your business. Or be prepared to be confronted quite a lot. It won't make for a pleasant experience for anyone.

I have been to the US on holiday 9 or 10 times. It's a culture shock the first time you go but after that we budgeted tips into the holiday. It's the way it works there and those servers in 99% of the places we ate worked so hard for their tips and were such a pleasure.

We always tip 18% or thereabouts. You see a meal and note it costs $20, mentally add on $4 for tip/tax - then you see the meal actually costs $24

@Kakamora if you don't like the idea of tipping for food, wait until you get your transfer from the airport and are expected to tip a couple of dollars per person in the party, then about 2$ per bag to the porter to take them to the room, even if you would rather take them yourself and then $3 per night to the maid at the hotel.

You are not going to enjoy your holiday unless you change your outlook I am afraid.

I once had a table of very demanding ladies. A man came in to the restaurant, gave me $200 and said he wanted to pay their bill and I was to keep the change. I think it was a random act of kindness thing.
The ladies bill was just under $200.
When they asked to pay I told them that their bill was covered so there’s nothing to pay. The main lady from the group just turned to me and said “that’s the second time that’s happened to me” then they all got up and left without leaving a tip or even a thank you. Thankfully I was allowed to keep all $2 of the change.

So, if that sort of thing happens please tip generously!

OP, there are some brilliant restaurants in NYC that will be a treat and cost far less than $100. But yes, you should tip as expected unless the service is dire. Their country, their rules I'm afraid.

Having said that, yes, the constant reminder to tip can be annoying. First time I went to NYC I paid for 3 days' worth of big bus tour to get myself oriented. At every stop the tour guide reminds you that they need a tip, and then stands by the door as you get off. If you do a lot of hopping on and off it can double the cost of the ticket.

You know aside from the implications for the servers,
It’s a really shitty attitude to be showing towards the people who are helping to make your trip really enjoyable.

When in the states the people who served us were what made some of our meals special and I can’t help but feel that they’re in a pretty vulnerable situation in essence working for you for an hour or two, to at the end of the transaction to find that they haven’t been paid as expected.

That’s some A class shitbag behaviour.

I don’t like the topping system but I sure as fuck don’t use it as an opportunity to stick it to someone who’s in a position of earning $3 an hour.

And I wonder why servers have mixed reactions to Brits abroad.

Go to Arturios for pizza. The best bit of my trip!

You have to tip, you have no choice, it is how they do it over there. I was on business and had to write the tip on the receipt for my expenses.

Don't think of it as a tip. It is just tve part of the payment that pays for the person to serve you.

If you can afford a holiday to the States from the UK you need to budget for tips.

The servers there aren't even on a minimum wage, the tips are their wage.

As others have said, go to McDonalds or other fast food outlets if you don't want to tip.

Also $100 for a fancy dinner - maybe per head, yes but definitely not total.

I wouldn't dream of going to another country and not following their customs especially when it comes to servers trying to earn money.

You'll notice that the service generally in the States makes British service look utterly awful.

You'll have a heart attack when you see the sales tax that is added to the bill, too. You can't afford the fancy dinners. Find someplace cheaper. The world doesn't owe you fancy dinners just because you had to save hard for a holiday or work for low pay.

When you go somewhere else, and there’s a THING that everyone just DOES, then just suck it up and DO IT.

It really is as simple as that AND as several PPs have said you can take Mum for an awesome meal for well under $100 (especially if sushi is her bag).

Having just come back from the US, I have to disagree with all the posters saying that it is generally cheaper to eat out.
Since the pound fell to less than $1.3 it is BLOODY EXPENSIVE to eat out.
We rarely managed any meal for less than £100 for four of us - including breakfast and lunch! And that was not in posh restaurants - just regular diners etc.
Prepare to have your budget completely blown and look for supermarkets to buy takeway bagels/ sandwiches etc.

The tip is basically the staff wages. If you can’t deal with paying tips go somewhere else for your holiday. If you don’t pay tips you are on holiday, eating yummy food, being served by usually polite helpful staff who don’t realise they aren’t getting paid for this work.

Oooo, where is the sushi place? We were taken out for sushi. The bill was $315 for 4 people.

YABVVVU.

YANBU, I find the tipping culture in North America stressful as well. It leads to some bizarre and passive-aggressive behaviour which detracts from the enjoyment of eating out IMO.

But I'm afraid that's the way it is and you will have to budget an extra 20-25% for tips and consider it part of the cost of the meal.

fudgefeet

You should have told them the food was paid for but not the tip.

I would have thought that if you received a free meal you would just want to leave a good tip.
I guess I hoped his act of kindness would automatically be passed on but there you go!
I always tip very generously when I go to pizza express with club card vouchers.

Kakamora

Your attitude is shit. It really is that sort of thing that gives tourists a bad name.

15-20% tip is just what you need to do, as well as $1 a drink (more for cocktails) and tipping taxi drivers, doormen and cleaning staff.

Keep in mind that the price you see on a tag is never what you pay as tax is added at the till.

"They WILL chase you out of the restaurant for it if you don't leave enough."

How is it up to them to decide what is enough?

If 20% is standard-wouldn't you leave less than that for poor service?