[jfengel]

I was happy to tip, even for counter service, during the pandemic. I think it sucks that people were out literally risking their lives to give me a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

"Essential" personnel have long been underpaid. The pandemic made that more obvious. I would rather that they get a decent salary, and set prices accordingly, but I can at least show my gratitude for the genuine risk they're taking.

Now that the pandemic is over, of course the store owners don't want to reverse the ratchet. They've had a hard time keeping staff, because they're fed up, and they're hoping to raise prices without raising prices.

I know that tipping is controversial even among tipped staff. For many the net result is well above minimum wage, and they'd take an effective cut if we paid them $15/hour. Places that experiment with eliminating tipping often give up, in part because customers are bad at math and will go to places that are "cheaper" on the menu.

It's just a bad situation. It's clear that the lack of tipping in Europe does not create bad service, but there doesn't seem to be any way to that point from here.

[31337Logic]

> I was happy to tip, even for counter service, during the pandemic. I think it sucks that people were out literally risking their lives to give me a cup of coffee and a sandwich.

And you were out, also, literally risking your life to pay for it. That argument goes both ways so shouldn't be seen as the sole/primary reason to tip.

[adammarples]

Yes but the server came into contact with 500 people that day, for minimum wage. We came into contact with just one, got a cup of coffee out of it and then went to WFH on tech money.

[zaphirplane]

The STD ads tell us otherwise

[Gigachad]

If the average person starts tipping less or nothing, the workers will all go to the businesses with higher base prices and wages. It won’t matter if the other store has lower printed prices because they won’t have anyone working the business.

[jfengel]

I'm not going to say "I'm tipping you nothing for your own good."

I would prefer to not shop at places where they pay their employees badly and try to make it up in tips. If I had places that promised good wages, I'd prefer to shop there. That's easiest at small stores where I know the employees personally -- they're not telling me their salaries but I know if they're happy working there.