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

@Kakamora you sound deeply unpleasant. A lot of the waitstaff from the various restaurants know each other....enjoy your food!

And no one can understand why OP may be confused?

The OP isn't confused, the OP is tight!

The system of paying waiting staff is how it is in the US. Only people in the US can change that. What does not help is tourists travelling there and refusing to tip as they 'don't believe in it'. That just deprives hard working Americans of their wages.

Anyone who does a modicum of research about traveling to the US knows they have to tip. If you are not willing to tip, don't travel there.

I’m aghast at PP saying good is cheaper in NYC! In Manhattan it most definitely isn’t.
Especially bearing in mind the shit exchange rate and tax on top of the prices, and that’s before a tip. (But don’t get me wrong I always tip 15%)

You know you are being unreasonable, but you're not going to tip no matter what anyone here says - but OP, just remember, New Yorkers can give it as good as they get. 😚

People who don’t tip are so mean.

In NYC you can just double the tax on your bill (comes to around 17.5%) unless the service is exceptional, then you give 20-25%. It’s easy maths.

You also need to tip housekeeping in the hotel, porters, taxi drivers, doormen who hail cabs for you, manicurists and bar staff.
A lot of these people will be really struggling to survive. Hand over your dollars and stop being such a whinging tight arse or stay at home

If you’re complaining about having to budget an extra £150 for tips then you shouldn’t really be going to NY in the first place. Tips are expected, most of the time the servers work hard for them (they work harder than servers in England do) and it’s just part of eating out, if you can’t afford it then don’t go or go to cheaper places.

And you can eat very well in very good restaurants for less than 100 dollars for
two people.

Where??? I did not experience this in NY once!

keeping its not a system I agree with. I think it leaves the servers vulnerable and the only person who benefits is the restaurant owners. I think the restaurant owner should pay their staff a living wage. However it's not my country and its not really my place to change that when I am on holiday. Me not tipping the server isn't making a political statement it's just not paying the server for their work, it's them who loses out and it won't change anything all it does is make you look like a dick

Also if maths isn't your strong point just tip 20%, that's a really easy amount to work out

@cholka visiting the US is not supporting Trump, it’s visiting an otherwise wonderful and varied country. You’re stupid to have visited 1 state and think that’s good enough reason to not go back.

People from the UK don't tip for normal service because they can't imagine that worker's rights have been so eroded that they actually rely on tips to meet everyday expenses.

Yes, they understand that this is likely to be the case when visiting poor countries but don't expect this to be the case in NY. In what world is this OK?

How many of us rely on tips and putting on a persona to maximise them?

Its an entirely bollocks system that puts the risk of an empty night with no customers from the owner to the waitstaff.

Its all so horrible, smarmy and saccharine too. If i wanted to chat with the waiter, id be having the meal with him. Take my order, bring my food then leave me alone. I dont want fake chitchat and cheshire cat smiles

But thats how it is, so tip the norm

I think also though the thing is that people are assuming ok, if you can afford to go to New York you can afford tips. But sometimes people do save for a long time for these types of holidays and are on a strict budget spending money wise. Ok OP has said she plans to go for nice meals but that’s not the case for everyone. When my DCs were little, I couldn’t afford to go on holiday every year but when we did go, spending money was tight. I remember taking my DCs on a Euro Disney/Paris trip when they were small and I simply couldn’t afford to tip. I don’t think they should have not been taken on holiday at all just because the tips would have pushed me over budget.

I do get what people,are saying about the low pay in America, but it is a shit system. Now I’m better off I will spend money where I can. I went to Egypt a couple of years ago and people were “taking advantage” of me left and right. I knew full well that they were but I also knew how much they were struggling with how tourism has been affected there so I just let them do it. But as I say, having been in the situation myself, not everyone can afford a high level of tipping.

Thedish - travellers expectations of what is the norm need to be made explicit. Just like when they travel to 'third world' countries and travel guides are explicit about when tourists need to tip as 'workers' do not receive basic wages.

I am pretty sure that OP is not tight (despite being on a tight budget) and would not withhold tips from the 'poor and needy' who needed this money for rent and food, but didn't realise that this also includes waiting staff in restaurants in NY - who would?

I always tip around 20% in the US but I have reduced it if the service has been poor - surely they can't expect 20% for crap service? In one restaurant I ordered chicken and when it arrived it was pink. I complained and was told that's what chicken is like, haven't I ever had BBQ'd chicken? Idiot.

I have to say I haven't tipped in a bar before (we usually drink in restaurants) as I didn't realise you were supposed to. That and me only drinking water could explain why the hotels barman was a miserable git! How much should you tip in a bar?

It’s standard to tip $1 a drink in a bar, but if you’re having a few you usually find the bar tender will give you a drink “on the house”.

And once you’ve seen the major “sights” there’s nothing else there to do

Sorry, I'm crying with laughter at this.

A lot of Americans tip twice the amount of tax.

And once you’ve seen the major “sights” there’s nothing else there to do

I do agree with this. I would never go back to NYC if I didn't have to.

I think different people like different things and I would much rather be somewhere with tonnes of history like Paris or Istanbul or snorkelling in the the Indian Ocean.

Yes it is definitely a case of different people like different things. I think also because I live in London, it’s kind of oh shall I see a broadway show? No point, I can see one in the west end. Visit a museum? I can do that here! Central Park? It’s just another big park. I prefer to go to places that are completely different to where I come from.

Nothing to do and no history in NYC??

Yes different places suit different people all right. I spent 2 months in NY and barely scratched the beginning of the surface of the history or what there was to do there.

If you’re that much of a tight arse you shouldn’t be going on holiday.

I really don't understand why the op is getting such a hard time. Are you all American waiting staff??

I didn't say no history, I just said I prefer places with tonnes of history.

Storm4star I completely agree with you.