Tipping in North America

[chopc]

I don't understand tipping in North America- apparently it's the biggest source of income for waiters/ tour guides etc. However all these people are employed. Isn't it up to the employer to pay them an adequate wage then the tip would be just that - an additional amount given if the customer thinks they received exceptional service. If it's a compulsory payment it's not a tip 🤔. Does anyone know the logic behind the N American way of thinking?

states have a 'tipped minimum wage' which means employers can pay wait staff much less than the statutory minimum wage because the difference is made up in tips.

But if the difference in tips is not sufficient to equal the minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference. The wait staff can't be paid less than minimum wage. That is a violation of state and federal law. There are a lot of other things that can be violations as well, such as expecting employees to work some time "off the clock."

Someone was asking about why the restaurant tip is a percentage of the bill vs. a per head price...There are a few reasons for this but it falls down to keeping the tip proportional to the bill.

So if I go to a low cost restaurant (Diner or Chain) there will be one server + maybe a bus person (the person who runs around and clears tables and sets up for the next use) I’ll be there maybe an hour and my bill for 4 people may be about $30. Tip would be $6. The server will likely have about 5-10 tables they are serving for at the same time.

On the other side of the coin if those same 4 people go to a nicer restaurant...
There will be alcohol likely, the server usually has support staff to help them including the bartender, an ass’t to run food, as bus person to set up tables, etc. We’re going to spend several hours at the table and have multiple courses. To have time for better service the server will have less tables 5 max, and less turnover in the night. So maybe my bill is now $300 so the tip will be $60. (Likely more since the team would have given excellent service) Out of that $60 the server then ‘tips out’ their support staff, but the server will keep the lions share. These servers are also the more experienced ones who excel at their jobs.

Generally people start serving as a part time after school job in the smaller not expensive restaurants, and then if they decide to stay in the service industry they move on to nicer restaurants where they can earn better tips. This no different than anyone else starting at an entry level job and moving into bigger and hire paid roles.

I’ve known a lot of servers and bartenders and none of them want to move away from tips. They make far more money than they would with a flat wage.

Think about it, even at the lower end restaurant making a tip of $5/table. All it takes is 2-3 tables an hour and they’ve made more than minimum wage.

I’ve known a lot of servers and bartenders and none of them want to move away from tips. They make far more money than they would with a flat wage.

When I was tending bar while at uni I could easily make $150 in tips over a six hour shift. Wages would have been $30 or so on top of the tips.

Many countries have odd customs. In Portugal, there is a charge for bread on the table. Many countries charge for water, which the U.S. provides abundantly and freely. In some places, bargaining is part of the culture. Other places, no. At some point, my friends, it is what it is. Some of you ladies are sounding very much like the memsahibs in A Passage to India.

We’re in the USA at the moment. We never tip less than 20% for servers and give parking valets $5.

It’s part of the cost of a meal/service as far as I’m concerned. The restaurant bills here have the suggested gratuity at the bottom.