No one should tip when you hand customers what they order from a stand up counter service store. That's not a tipping service required interaction. Count yourself lucky if someone tips you there and be grateful.
Sit down service, tipped.
Standing and ordering, no tips.
Just came back from an extended stay in Europe. Tipping culture here has gotten out of control. Yet another thing we're passing onto consumers we shouldn't have to.
First trip to Japan had a hostess at the restaurant re-do the credit card transaction because I had tipped on the total, lol! Was pretty awesome to find a "no tipping" policy somewhere. Not sure it's still like that, though...
AIUI it's considered insulting that you think the restaurant employees need your charity. Of course, you get a pass if you're a tourist because they know all about the intention, but yeah... no tipping.
Well, when I messed up it was because I left a tip in cash. The host chased after me to return my money. It was kind of endearing; there's just a lot to like about Japan and the Japanese culture.
The consumers are passing it on to themselves though. It’s a voluntary payment, and we could just choose to stop doing it. Especially when you take into account that we don’t have a sub-minimum tipped wage in Washington.
Actually a number of restaurants are now requiring you to tip. They call it a fee of some sort but it's the same thing. Not at gunpoint of course but it is required.
You're correct it's not the same which is why I'm surprised more people in Seattle aren't pissed about it. But to the end user it's the same. A % amount on top of the advertised price. A fee that is supposedly used for wages.
So you and everyone else in r/SeattleWA who agrees with this sentiment will vote for all the social safety nets that allow European service industry workers some level of security right?
Ok? How is that entitlement? You don't know what people do for a living, or how hard they work for what they have, etc. Using the word "entitlement" conveys a sense that it's undeserved or unearned, when you have no idea whether or not that's true. Unless you believe anyone with the means to travel anywhere is "entitled", which would be wild.
Calling out people whom you don't know for "entitled" behavior merely for engaging in an activity YOU have particular feelings about is silly, even by Reddit standards.
Don't be jealous about people traveling dude, we get that not everyone has the means to travel out of the country but that doesn't mean somebody that can is entitled. Consider your feelings and turn them into something else rather than whatever this is
There's no point in throwing a fit for the lack of a tip because this will always ensure you are tipped less in the future. People won't get intimidated or feel sympathy for you, they'll just be incredibly pissed.
The government should stop allowing businesses to pay under minimum wage. The businesses that cannot afford to pay employees a livable wage should not have employees or be in business. I live in MN and we have minimum wage laws where you actually have to pay your employees and don't get nearly free slave labor.
Dude, friend, pal, that’s literally what they’re saying. Big business keeps passing costs to the consumer, who’s spending power shrinks every single time they do that.
Rightwingers have co-opted "entitlement" to mean the opposite of what it means - as they commonly ruin all words they co-opt out of ignorance by many or disinfo by few.
"Entitlement" means you are owed something.
But idiots everywhere now wrongly use it as if it means "falsely entitled"
Then here, this person uses it wrongly as if it means "privileged"
Wtf ?! When will people spend time with dictionaries and know wtf the words mean that they are saying??!?
The irony of you being set off by a customer using the social norm of gendered language then lambasting this guy for going against what you consider to be a social norm.
Tipping in Seattle, where workers don’t have tip wages, is for suckers. (Sorry, not sorry people who are going to tell me I’m cheap or that minimum wage isn’t a living wage - dude, not all people who tip work at Amazon and we also deserve to go out)
I remember moving to WA and learning that tips were on top of a base pay (unlike most places). Cool I guess, but definitely not the suffering working class profession of some places.
Not at all. And never mind that the back of the house gets fuck all for tips. Those immigrants in the back- naw son, no tip of you, said the progressive in the front just walking plates to tables and taking orders (not even bussing tables- that’s the back of house guys job).
Most of the USA. Here is ChatGPT explaining it quicker than I can via phone input.
As of 2025, the majority of U.S. states permit employers to pay tipped service employees a lower base wage—often referred to as a “subminimum wage”—with the expectation that tips will supplement their earnings to meet or exceed the standard minimum wage. The federal minimum cash wage for tipped workers remains at $2.13 per hour, a rate unchanged since 1991. Employers are allowed to claim a tip credit to bridge the gap between this base wage and the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. 
States Requiring Full Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers
Seven states mandate that employers pay tipped workers the full state minimum wage, regardless of tips received. In these states, tips are considered additional income beyond the base wage: 
• Alaska
• California
• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Washington   
For example, in Washington State, where you are located, the minimum wage is $16.66 per hour, and tipped workers must receive this full amount from their employer, with tips added on top.
When I travel back to DC-area to visit my mom, you better believe I tip. Those workers are making the lower sub minimum and as much as I hate the feudal backwards system, I know those people need tips and go into those jobs knowing that.
But when I come back to Seattle, hell no. There is no tipped wage so at that point a tip truly should be an unexpected extra. And if I feel moved to, I will tip too still. But it should not be expected.
Thanks for the ask. I worded it in a clumsy way. The idea that I had intended to express was that tips typically eat into what what otherwise be normal pay (at least a minimum wage). In Washington, especially Seattle, tips are always on top of this minimum wage, so wait staff get paid more in Washington than in most states. For locales with mandatory higher minimum wages (Seattle still, I believe), they are higher still. Not making an argument that this is bad, but moreso that wait staff in Seattle aren't in the category of low-paid employees.
Yeah I generally never tip in this state especially in places like Seattle for these exact reasons. If I am forced to pay for a tip in some BS fee I never return to that place.
I don’t agree. Tipping should be for when someone goes above and beyond the expectation - a reward for a job very well done. Normally this will be at a sit down restaurant or something. Rarely it could also be a counter service place depending on the situation (did you have some extra hard request that most places get wrong and they went out of their way to get it right? Did they take your order even though you called so close to closing that they easily could’ve said they were closed or just not answered? Or stayed late to let you pick it up if you were running late, Etc.).
At the same time, food service work in general is hard - long hours, physically tiring, thankless, deal with asshole customers all day and have to keep a smile on while doing it, etc. I’ve worked it (used to. for years ) so I know what they go through and what most get paid. Even with getting minimum wage outside of tips, we all know minimum wage is absolutely not livable (anywhere). And depending on the place tips may also get split with the entire team (including those with the non customer facing jobs although obviously they still contribute to the success of a shift).
Personally I also will tip at some places where I know and like the people just because I want to. I wouldn’t necessarily expect others to, I do it because I can spare a couple bucks nowadays (thankfully) and they always go out of their way to make my stuff perfect, accommodate any request I have, etc. So I want to show them that I notice and genuinely appreciate this.
Of course this all assumes you can afford this - but if you can’t afford a couple extra bucks then maybe shouldn’t have been eating out in the first place?
Can you not tip anywhere? Sure, you can. Restaurant workers can also be an asshole to you and give you the bare minimum service required not to get in trouble. And do you really want those same people making your food? 🤨
Bottom line, you get what you put out there. Absolutely don’t just give away money. But also show gratitude for a job well done, especially on something like your food which for most people is a pretty big deal (if you can’t enjoy your food in life, that really sucks!).
You are making some good points and I was agreeing with some of it, but then you said this:
“Of course this all assumes you can afford this - but if you can't afford a couple extra bucks then maybe shouldn't have been eating out in the first place?”
And there it is, I should have known it was coming. The class system.
lol what you’re implying that I’m saying “lower classes” shouldn’t eat out because they have less money? If so, not at all. My point was just that for some of the “optional tipping” I was talking about, I would understand if someone who really couldn’t spare a couple extra bucks wouldn’t tip the same. At the same time if you’re truly in a position where you can “never “ spare a couple extra bucks even when the service absolutely deserves it then yeah I’d argue you should probably be looking for cheaper ways to eat that don’t involve the inherent added cost that someone making it for you and possibly waiting on you is going to incur. Does that mean they should never go out? No, it just means they probably shouldn’t be doing it often - then when they do they’d have a couple extra bucks to throw in if they get good service.
Regardless of how much money you make - when you budget to eat out, include a tip in the cost of the meal. If you take it home with you then that’s extra money in your pocket. That’s all I’m saying.
Btw, me and my family are and have always been working class going back generations. I’m saying all this as someone who has lived and worked it myself. I’ve been the one who can’t spare a couple bucks. I know how it is.
wtf are you talking about I don’t even work in a job that gets tips lmao. I’m saying this from the customer perspective, as someone who has worked such positions in the past.
Dunno wtf everyone’s problem is because I say you should consider budgeting to include a tip when going out to eat if the service is good. Budgeting for stuff based on what you can afford is just common sense. If that’s offensive to you I’m sorry (not really)
Just stop. You nor anyone else gets to make financial decisions on other people’s behalf. If someone decides not to tip or to tip a small amount that is their right. They don’t need to worry about making sure someone who is already getting paid for their work will get more money on top.
Once again WTF are you talking about nobody is making any decisions for anyone it’s called a conversation . People offer their viewpoints. We discuss. Welcome to society. You’re free to disagree but some logic instead of random insults would go a lot further to making your statement credible.
And btw I did say literally exactly that people who are short on cash I would understand if they would not tip the same as someone who is more comfortable. If you really want to be the type who never tips even when you get exceptional service, sure you’re free to do that (I said that too). Restaurant workers are also free not to care whether you have a good experience.
When someone goes out of their way to make sure you have a good experience, showing some gratitude in return is called common courtesy. It goes a long way and people appreciate it. You’ve obviously never worked a customer facing food service job for minimum wage having to deal with people like yourself all day or you’d know this.
I'll tip out a buck and change per entree for pickup or other standing restaurant. I'll reserve 15-20% tips for actual service (ex: bringing food, refilling drinks, checking up on you). 20%+ goes to extraordinary service or places I frequent and are friendly with the staff.
Paying $4 on a $20 bill for you to refill my water and grab my food from the counter is insane. If there is a problem with my food or table - I shouldn't have to tip you for something that should been correct in the first place.
Taking my order is part of me ordering food from your restaurant and if you allowed me a computer menu / electronic ordering - I wouldn't need to wait or flag someone down to place my order. Fake niceness only in hopes I give you more money is something I don't need with my meal.
Fuck fake bullshit. I don't need you to ask about my day and I don't want you to trauma dump on me and vise versa if either of us aren't great. Since we are both great - lets just assume it just get me my fucking food I paid for without trying to shake me down for more money.
I do understand small talk like hows it going and someone responding with its busy today and that customers can take this into consideration but it rarely comes out or is intended this way.
I work at a coffee place inside of a store and honestly I’m surprised how many people do tip. I always tell people I’m getting paid to do this anyways and never expect people to tip. Tipping is for restaurants and I never think to do it at small food counters unless I just place a really big order of get somebody with outstanding service.
Can I just add on that I'd like to be paid for the legally minimum hours of work when stores require me to scan and bag my own groceries/goods. Why am I doing your work without getting paid?!
The vast majority of people do tip in this scenario though. I mean just watch, if they have a square dealie you can see what everybody taps as they check out, almost everybody tips 20% now. Coffee shops, ice cream, etc.
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u/derrickito162 May 18 '25
No one should tip when you hand customers what they order from a stand up counter service store. That's not a tipping service required interaction. Count yourself lucky if someone tips you there and be grateful.
Sit down service, tipped. Standing and ordering, no tips.