To be fair, tipping on top of sales tax never made sense. Tip is always calculated from a pre-tax amount. And somehow the tip percentage has gone up - when I was young 15% was the norm. Precovid it was 18%. Now it’s 20%? Why is this being inflated? The prices have already gone up, so even at 15% the tip has ballooned.

I also don’t understand why we have to tip waitstaff that is paid minimum wage - places like WA, CA, etc cannot have wage that is lower than the state minimum wage.

I’ve worked many a retail job and have had to deal with rude customers, clean up after their mess, etc. Why pay more just because someone told me what the special is and brought me the food? Isn’t that what their job is?

I don’t understand it and I just don’t eat at sit down places anymore. Take out, counter service, or bust.

Tipping percentage migrates up because it is a status game. tipping 'below average' is socially bad. Tipping above the meta is expensive, bit makes you look generous. So the meta shifts over time as more people tip above average than people tip below average.

> To be fair, tipping on top of sales tax never made sense

That's a bit funny. Why doesn't it make sense? There is no meaningful relationship between the amount you spend, fixed brackets like 15%, 20%, 30% etc, and the job the waiter did bringing you the food. It's all made up and unnecessary. You can be expected to pay it before taxes, after taxes, 0%, 80%, only for desserts, only on your birthday... It's completely arbitrary.

Tipping is for service. It’s a charge and like all charges, it’s levied on the subtotal.

If I calculated tip after tax, I’m paying a portion of my tips to the state, and they are already getting their share via sales tax.

Hm. Tipping is not a charge, is a gratuity- which means that its amount and even whether you give it or not is up to you. You can decide to tip 20% before taxes or 16% after taxes- it's exactly the same. It all depends how much you want to risk being seen as stingy by the waiter in front of you.

I am confused about what you consider “chintzy”.

Pre-tax subtotal has always been my starting point for calculating the gratuity. In fact, if you’re ordering drinks with lunch, I was taught to deduct the bar total as well, and go by food served.

15% a bog standard percentage and completely fair. Especially if it were “many years ago”.

I have taken note that many receipt printers now try to “cheat” us by displaying tip calculations on the after-tax. Even worse, once they run your card, they may withhold that itemized receipt, so you have no information but the grand total! It’s really unfair.

And don’t forget, a rich woman does not become wealthy based on her generosity. Think about it. It’s about how much she can hold onto.

I think the lady was right here. Tipping is what you have today, because you all support it fully

You can just not tip. If you feel guilty, give the amount you save to any of the effective charities suggested by GiveWell.

California doesn't have a separate tipped minimum wage, has a high minimum wage, and mandates larger restaurants to provide health insurance benefits, so 15% sounds about right. The higher minimum wage gets baked into the menu prices, so you're basically tipping for the privilege of giving them higher wages.

I deleted my parent comment because it stirred up such a contentious debate.

I don't care about the loss of karma, I have plenty to spare.

I do care about encouraging positive discussion, and I am afraid I failed badly here.

If I buy expensive bottle(s) of wine with the meal I also deduct most of that too. A $300 meal with $1000 of wine gets comfortably less than $100 tip.