wages in the USA need a ~50 or 100% increase in most places. Yet the only increase that most workers have seen recently has been an increase to tipping. The amount of places that ask for tips has easily doubled in the last 2 years. There is tipping everywhere now and while I want workers to get more money, I am also a worker. 20% extra on a large amount of purchases I make is pretty rough. Should I tip workers who get paid more than I do? Should I tip while unemployed? Its confusing and awkward to make the decision to tip or not.
It'd be nice to just commit to something clear. What do y'all do?
If you're in the US most places only have to pay service staff like $2.15/hr unless there was a local change recently.
Tips are basically 100% of wages for waitstaff and hosts because that $2.15 only covers taxes (if that).
Delivery drivers are also responsible for maintaining their own vehicle and paying for gas, so they need decent tips to just break even.
I mean yeah but I'm also only one of a couple tables. I'm not gonna skimp, but I'm not made of money either I'm barely going out to a restaurant at all as is and ordering delivery is not happening.
I'm just stating what is considered good tipping practice, the whole point of the system is that it offloads the burden of wages onto the patrons which is bullshit.
Any decent establishment also usually implements tip sharing where the tips are put into a pool and divided amongst the staff according to hours worked which is better, but still dumb because it's the employer's job to provide a living wage.