Who is in the right in the Reservoir Dogs scene about tipping?

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

I was thinking about the famous Reservoir Dogs scene where Mr. Pink says "I don't tip" and realized that it can have many sociopolitical implications.

Discuss (without maps).

[vitoNova]

Ironically, Mr. Pink is the Socialist.   And probably spent time living in Europe. 

[Ferguson97]

Mr. Pink was wrong.

If you think tipping is dumb and we should just pay waitresses the full minimum wage, that's fine.

But since we currently don't pay waitresses the full minimum wage, and they rely on tips for income... you're an asshole if you don't tip in America.

[Del Tachi]

You should always tip, but I've noticed (in my short lifetime) that the minimum appears to have gone from 15% to 18%.

And (honestly?) what kind of number is 18%?  15% is at least easy to calculate in your head because you quickly figure out 1/10 of your bill and then add half of it to make 15%.  18% is what?  a smidge below one-fifth?

However, I will always insist that you don't tip for counter service.  Bar service is still $1/drink (cash).  Don't tip on tax, because tax isn't a service the restaurant provides.  However, you obviously tip on the total before discounts/gift cards.     

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

You should always tip, but I've noticed (in my short lifetime) that the minimum appears to have gone from 15% to 18%.

And (honestly?) what kind of number is 18%?  15% is at least easy to calculate in your head because you quickly figure out 1/10 of your bill and then add half of it to make 15%.  18% is what?  a smidge below one-fifth?

18% is an attempt to get people to tip more without provoking resistance as either 20% or 19% would.

[Cassandra]

You should always tip, but I've noticed (in my short lifetime) that the minimum appears to have gone from 15% to 18%.

And (honestly?) what kind of number is 18%?  15% is at least easy to calculate in your head because you quickly figure out 1/10 of your bill and then add half of it to make 15%.  18% is what?  a smidge below one-fifth?

18% is an attempt to get people to tip more without provoking resistance as either 20% or 19% would.

I learned growing up that 20% is the minimum. My mom was a Chili's waitress for years and really drove that home. Is that not a widespread thing?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

You should always tip, but I've noticed (in my short lifetime) that the minimum appears to have gone from 15% to 18%.

And (honestly?) what kind of number is 18%?  15% is at least easy to calculate in your head because you quickly figure out 1/10 of your bill and then add half of it to make 15%.  18% is what?  a smidge below one-fifth?

18% is an attempt to get people to tip more without provoking resistance as either 20% or 19% would.

I learned growing up that 20% is the minimum. My mom was a Chili's waitress for years and really drove that home. Is that not a widespread thing?

No.  These days the 15 to 20% range is standard, but when I was growing up the standard range was 10% to 20%.

I'm generally a stingy restaurant tipper. I start with 10%, then bump it up so that the total, including tip, is a round number.

[John Dule]

I can't even remember the last time I had to think about tipping. Dang.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Yes, this scene might play differently with international audiences. It's supposed to be very obvious that Mr. Pink is piece of sh**t.

For reference, as far as I recall I have tipped probably twice at bars and never at restaurants in my life. Growing up tips were honestly almost a mythological concept to me.

If I had to tip at least 20% every time I go to the restaurant... I would definitely eat outside far less often. On the other hand we pay cover charge in most restaurants in Italy (normally 1€ per person).

[Cassandra]

You should always tip, but I've noticed (in my short lifetime) that the minimum appears to have gone from 15% to 18%.

And (honestly?) what kind of number is 18%?  15% is at least easy to calculate in your head because you quickly figure out 1/10 of your bill and then add half of it to make 15%.  18% is what?  a smidge below one-fifth?

18% is an attempt to get people to tip more without provoking resistance as either 20% or 19% would.

I learned growing up that 20% is the minimum. My mom was a Chili's waitress for years and really drove that home. Is that not a widespread thing?

No.  These days the 15 to 20% range is standard, but when I was growing up the standard range was 10% to 20%.

I'm generally a stingy restaurant tipper. I start with 10%, then bump it up so that the total, including tip, is a round number.

Why are you stingy?

[Santander]

I don't really think about how much I tip. (obviously I don't go below 15% for restaurant/taxi bills) The server needs the money more than I do anyway.

[Ferguson97]

Social etiquette mandates that you tip 20% every time regardless of service. Not 15%. Not 18%. 20%.

[Dr. MB]

calculating out a strict % is kinda weird, just round to a whole number or estimate

Not tipping is bad though. Did it once at Buffalo Wild Wings cause my friends convinced me to (to be fair the service was pretty bad) and I'm not even sure I had much extra cash for a tip anyway. But I still feel bad.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

You should always tip, but I've noticed (in my short lifetime) that the minimum appears to have gone from 15% to 18%.

And (honestly?) what kind of number is 18%?  15% is at least easy to calculate in your head because you quickly figure out 1/10 of your bill and then add half of it to make 15%.  18% is what?  a smidge below one-fifth?

18% is an attempt to get people to tip more without provoking resistance as either 20% or 19% would.

I learned growing up that 20% is the minimum. My mom was a Chili's waitress for years and really drove that home. Is that not a widespread thing?

No.  These days the 15 to 20% range is standard, but when I was growing up the standard range was 10% to 20%.

I'm generally a stingy restaurant tipper. I start with 10%, then bump it up so that the total, including tip, is a round number.

Why are you stingy?

Because I'm old enough to remember when 10% was an acceptable tip, and I'm not a restaurant regular who has to worry about the server developing a grudge against me. Also, I generally bother with restaurants only when I travel and fast food for whatever reason is not an option. I don't go to a restaurant for an experience, just for food.

Last, but not least, my rounding up usually gets my tip up into the normal range anyway.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

The thing that always annoys me about on-line discussions about tips...and this thread did too:

Thinking that waiters and other restaurant staff are the only ones who work for tips.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Social etiquette mandates that you tip 20% every time regardless of service. Not 15%. Not 18%. 20%.

I'd say thank you, Emily Post, except she disagrees:

https://emilypost.com/advice/general-tipping-guide

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The thing that always annoys me about on-line discussions about tips...and this thread did too:

Thinking that waiters and other restaurant staff are the only ones who work for tips.

Restaurant staff are the people most likely to be tipped anonymously unless you're a heavy traveller.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

If you can't afford to pay an adequate tip, then you can't afford to go out to eat. It really is that simple.

[Torie]

If the service is friendly and attentive, I tend to "over tip," around 25%, sometimes even 30% if there is some bonding, 20% if sufficient, 10% if bad. I really appreciate what these hard working, not otherwise well paid servers do. But I haven't been in a restaurant for 13 months, and will not until both my partner and myself are vaccinated. Ditto for hotels and motels unless it is to stay in Cleveland near the heart clinic. And thus one element of the depression in the hospitality industry. Olds with some means who need to be very careful, and not take any unnecessary risk.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

I feel bad about having started this thread.

It's just too alienating.

[beaver2.0]

15-20% or higher if I can get to a round number.  Frankly, I'm well enough off that I can do that so I go for the upper end of the acceptable range no matter what because I'm sure the waiter can use the money.

I think tipping is dumb, but making a point about how it's dumb isn't worth it when there's someone on the other end of the equation.

[parochial boy]

I feel bad about having started this thread.

It's just too alienating.

Best thing about when you go to America is you go to a restaurant and the menu says something like "deep fried steak with deep fried macaroni and cheese and deep fried cabbage- $25" except that includes neither tax nor tip, so in practice the actual price you end up paying has so little to do with the price listed on the menu that you wonder why they even bother including it in the first place.

I've always just divided the bill by 5 in order to calculate the tip on the occasions I've been out there. Seems enormously petty to deprive someone of their income just because they flash you some fake smile and feel the need to make endless small talk.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

I feel bad about having started this thread.

It's just too alienating.

Best thing about when you go to America is you go to a restaurant and the menu says something like "deep fried steak with deep fried macaroni and cheese and deep fried cabbage- $25" except that includes neither tax nor tip, so in practice the actual price you end up paying has so little to do with the price listed on the menu that you wonder why they even bother including it in the first place.

I've always just divided the bill by 5 in order to calculate the tip on the occasions I've been out there. Seems enormously petty to deprive someone of their income just because they flash you some fake smile and feel the need to make endless small talk.

The only time I've been to the United States I was with my father and I think he paid all the restaurant bills. I'm not interested in asking him how much he tipped.

[morgieb]

I usually don't but I don't live in America. If I was American I would because it's considered good ettiqute. Unless I really hated the experience.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I didn't realize that the standard had changed from 15% to 18 or 20%, but in the future I'll be taking that into account and paying 20%.

And when you do tip, just give your server the same percentage regardless. Like unless they're purposely trying to piss you off, set a flat figure and pay it. They deserve to live too. If you feel the need to teach your server "a lesson", you're a loser. Don't be like that.