Why forced tipping/gratuity in America is unethical, illogical, & infringes on free will!

[Winston]

I don't get something weird about most Americans. Why are they SOOOOOO generous when it comes to tipping and gratuities at a restaurant or bar? They seem to get off on giving big tips for some reason. Most tip at least 5 dollars, even for a 20 dollar meal, and do it happily and proudly. Often they are glad to tip even more than 15 percent. Most Americans I know are like that. Tipping generously is like a religion in America.

Geez. The waiter or bartender is just a stranger doing his or her job, not a friend. So why do they give a f**k about them? Why do they treat the waiter like he or she is a family member or friend, and care so much about him or her? That is friggin weird.

However, when a stranger wants to socialize with them, Americans get standoffish and distant and have a "mind your own business" type of attitude. But when a stranger is a waiter, suddenly they are so generous and caring toward them. WTF?! I don't get that. It's weird.

Yet almost all Americans love to overtip or give generous tips. Why? What makes them do that? I thought Americans are individualists and freethinkers, or so they think, so why do they all conform to that weird habit of tipping generously? Where's the individualism and right to be different and not be generous in tipping?

Plus all a waiter does is bring a dish from the kitchen to the table. Anyone can do that. It's not hard at all. So why is that deserving of a generous tip? I don't get it.

Also, why are Americans so giving to charity? If there is a charity drive on TV for something, lots of Americans like to donate to it. Why are they so generous to disaster victims who are strangers whom they've never met, but yet they aren't social with strangers when they meet them in public places? That's odd and inverted.

If they care about strangers so much, why not invite the strangers in their neighborhood out for a walk, for a meal, or invite them to their place for dinner or coffee? I don't get it.

Americans are weird and INVERTED. I don't get them. I'm the opposite of them. I don't like to tip, because it's stupid and I hate wasting money. The prices in American restaurants are already way too high. And why should I give a f**k about the waiters? They are strangers and they don't give a f**k about me either. They don't call me when I'm lonely, or spend time with me. So why should I give a f**k about them?! It doesn't make sense. Most of those waiters are probably selfish bastards deep down anyway.

Plus you don't have to tip in most other countries, so why should I happily tip in the US? Why should I have to follow every custom in a "free country"? Why do Americans conform to overtipping all the time?

I prefer being social with strangers and not tipping, so I'm the inverse of the standard American.

Americans are very weird in that they aren't very social or open, but they are generous with money toward strangers if they are waiters or if they need charity. I don't get that, since I'm the opposite of that. I get more pleasure out of saving money than wasting it on strangers.

[Moretorque]

Mr. Wu it's just one of the luxuries Americans have had of the petro $ so money in general has been easy to come by because they print it and it has had value because of the world reserve currency statis, that is coming to a end now however. You will not be saying this shortly.

By the way I preferred the handsome photo of you where you shared resemblance to Mr. Sulu.

[Banano]

Its so strange that americans tip so much, waiters are just doing their job they get paid for, why they expect you to give them generous tip?

Afaik no western country in the world is like that. I stopped payin by cash long time ago so no tips from me

[Seeker]

From what I heard, tipping waiters in America is part of the "bill", and waiters are often paid less than minimum wage because their tips count as part of their real salary. So, if you didn't tip in America restaurants would have to pay their waiters more which would result in the cost being passed on to the consumer, so you'd end up paying more anyway.

It doesn't make sense to me at all though, just because you get an expensive meal the waiter should get 15% (or whatever) on top of that just for bringing it to you? I'd rather tip the cook!

[GoingAwol]

Winston,
Surely you realize that waiters get paid well below minimum wage. They work for tips.... They are working their asses off for next to nothing so we are obligated to tip them.

[GoingAwol]

From what I heard, tipping waiters in America is part of the "bill", and waiters are often paid less than minimum wage because their tips count as part of their real salary. So, if you didn't tip in America restaurants would have to pay their waiters more which would result in the cost being passed on to the consumer, so you'd end up paying more anyway.

It doesn't make sense to me at all though, just because you get an expensive meal the waiter should get 15% (or whatever) on top of that just for bringing it to you? I'd rather tip the cook!

Waiters deal with a lot of bullshit. I know this because I have worked in the restaurant business. They earn their money. Cooks are in the back and don't have to deal with fussy and bitchy customers and they usually make decent moneys.

[Winston]

Its so strange that americans tip so much, waiters are just doing their job they get paid for, why they expect you to give them generous tip?

Afaik no western country in the world is like that. I stopped payin by cash long time ago so no tips from me

You mean you don't tip at all? Do they give you dirty looks? What if you come back to the same restaurant? Do the people you eat with say anything when you don't tip?

Even a lot of freethinkers I know like to tip generously. It seems to be a religion in America.

I may understand why someone would tip 10 percent. But I don't get why many Americans are glad to tip more than that. What's the joy behind that? I don't get it.

[Mr.Darcy]

From what I heard, tipping waiters in America is part of the "bill", and waiters are often paid less than minimum wage because their tips count as part of their real salary. So, if you didn't tip in America restaurants would have to pay their waiters more which would result in the cost being passed on to the consumer, so you'd end up paying more anyway.

It doesn't make sense to me at all though, just because you get an expensive meal the waiter should get 15% (or whatever) on top of that just for bringing it to you? I'd rather tip the cook!

Waiters deal with a lot of bullshit. I know this because I have worked in the restaurant business. They earn their money. Cooks are in the back and don't have to deal with fussy and bitchy customers and they usually make decent moneys.

Lol cooks get paid well too and don't have to deal with the customers. Waiters do not get a paycheck, they are taxed more on their tips, and some servers have to split their tips with the other workers at the end of the day. At the end of the day, you are an asshole if you stiff or tip like ****. If you do not like tipping than do not eat out or do carryout please.

[Winston]

From what I heard, tipping waiters in America is part of the "bill", and waiters are often paid less than minimum wage because their tips count as part of their real salary. So, if you didn't tip in America restaurants would have to pay their waiters more which would result in the cost being passed on to the consumer, so you'd end up paying more anyway.

It doesn't make sense to me at all though, just because you get an expensive meal the waiter should get 15% (or whatever) on top of that just for bringing it to you? I'd rather tip the cook!

That's just their excuse. Why can't they be paid at least minimum wage? It's the law. Restaurant prices are already too high anyway. Each dish now starts at 10 dollars in a typical restaurant. So why can't the owners pay the waiters at least minimum wage? It's not like prices are low. Geez. Stupid.

How come in Asia you can eat for very cheap yet the waiters don't need tips? Think about that. A lot of reasons are manufactured, not real.

Besides why should you care about the waiters? They aren't your friends. Your neighbors in America don't care about you either. They don't invite you inside for coffee or a barbecue like they do on TV.

Yeah if an expensive restaurant meal is 50 dollars for a plate, then why should you tip 15 percent of that, even if it's just one plate? It doesn't make sense.

[Winston]

Lol cooks get paid well too and don't have to deal with the customers. Waiters do not get a paycheck, they are taxed more on their tips, and some servers have to split their tips with the other workers at the end of the day. At the end of the day, you are an asshole if you stiff or tip like ****. If you do not like tipping than do not eat out or do carryout please.

Gimme a break. Most waiters do not even make small talk with you, especially if they are American girls. They just bring you a plate from the kitchen. Anyone can do that. It's the easiest thing in the world. How is that worth a generous 5 dollar tip?

Besides Americans are selfish bastards and arrogant shit heads. Why should you care about them? f**k them.

How come in Asia you can eat for a few dollars and the waiters don't expect tips and the owners can afford to operate that way?

f**k the American way.

[cardinalattentive]

This is in our blood

[Banano]

I dont know about America but in Australia and Europe people don't tip. Common guys priced are already inflated as they are, tip, profit, taxes, rip off are already included besides they are just doing their job and you pay exact price no more, no less.
Tipping is one way for low lifes to dodge tax as Im sure they are not declaring tips as income. IRS should take a good look into it

90% people use credit cards these days as its safer option and how you gonna tip with cc?

How does it work in USA? Do you tip any service job from cashiers at supermarket, petrol station,security guard, taxi driver to restaurant staff? Where do you draw a line?What about fast food restaurants KFC, subway?

[onethousandknives]

With restaurant prices, it's partially "because we can" but also due to any simple business in USA having a lot of overhead thanks to government regulations, taxes, etc. My simple business as a house painter for example, cost me $600 for LLC and licensing just for the state, I had to pay $250 tax after just to legally exist, and I have to pay $600 insurance per year (not legally required, but yes.) This is over $1400 to just legally exist as a one man business, then if I got real employees, besides paying them, I'd have to pay another probably $600-700 a year for workers comp insurance. So just to exist as a guy painting houses who hires my friends occasionally, it's over $2000.

I think the difference with Taiwan vs USA, at least in my studies of it, is while Taiwan on paper has, say, a $1000 fee for starting a corporation, but in practice, you can for example, set up a hot dog stand at the open air market with a card table and a $30 propane grill and buy hot dogs from the store for $2-3 a pack, grill em up, sell them for $1, and make a 300% profit margin and tada, easy. In USA, to sell hot dogs by the side of the road, you'd need to establish an LLC, all that nonsense, which is $1000+ in basically bribe money. My state is so bad, to even sell at a flea market requires you to get a $200 sales tax permit. Obviously not EVERYBODY gets prosecuted for not doing the it the legal way, and in fact a lot of the richest business owners I know do shady shit and aren't doing things 100% by the book, but like their profit margins and the owners can bullshit well and keep their places looking nice so it looks like it's by the book. But if you try to do it legally, because of the amount of overhead just in government regulations alone, besides things like rent, product cost, etc, it costs a lot.

So in this regard, Taiwan intrigues me as it seems to be just the right balance between wild west (like say, Pakistan) and the anal retentive US system where everything needs a license and insurance for even the simplest matters. But this I think is how businesses can justify their high prices in USA, as starting a business is so complex, whereas Taiwan, if you wanted to charge $4 for a hot dog they'd tell you to piss off because they could just buy a pack (or two, or three) at the store for that much.

[Mr.Darcy]

Lol cooks get paid well too and don't have to deal with the customers. Waiters do not get a paycheck, they are taxed more on their tips, and some servers have to split their tips with the other workers at the end of the day. At the end of the day, you are an asshole if you stiff or tip like ****. If you do not like tipping than do not eat out or do carryout please.

Gimme a break. Most waiters do not even make small talk with you, especially if they are American girls. They just bring you a plate from the kitchen. Anyone can do that. It's the easiest thing in the world. How is that worth a generous 5 dollar tip?

Besides Americans are selfish bastards and arrogant shit heads. Why should you care about them? f**k them.

How come in Asia you can eat for a few dollars and the waiters don't expect tips and the owners can afford to operate that way?

f**k the American way.

It's our income lol. I deliver pizzas, but I get payed 5 dollars a hour while out of the store and 7 dollars in store. The delivery fee does not go to me at all. In addition, I have to pay for my gas. Theoretically, if everybody stiffed me than I would lose money while working. Therefore, you would not have any pizza delivery drivers.

[Winston]

I dont know about America but in Australia and Europe people don't tip. Common guys priced are already inflated as they are, tip, profit, taxes, rip off are already included besides they are just doing their job and you pay exact price no more, no less.
Tipping is one way for low lifes to dodge tax as Im sure they are not declaring tips as income. IRS should take a good look into it

90% people use credit cards these days as its safer option and how you gonna tip with cc?

How does it work in USA? Do you tip any service job from cashiers at supermarket, petrol station,security guard, taxi driver to restaurant staff? Where do you draw a line?What about fast food restaurants KFC, subway?

When you use a credit card in the US, there is a line on the slip where you add the tip and then sign your name. In the US you tip waiters, bartenders, taxi drivers, bell boys that carry your luggage to your hotel room, hair salon stylists, and pizza delivery drivers. But not the other ones you mentioned.

You've never been to America? How do you understand our movement then? You should go there sometime and not tip and see what happens. lol. Tipping is like a religion in America. Not doing it is like blasphemy. lol