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by rahimnathwani 4180 days ago
> It's not complicated

It _is_ complicated. It's so complicated that (i) there are discussions on the internet about whether 15% or 20% or 25% is fair, and (ii) there are many specialised 'tip calculator' apps.

When I walk into a restaurant, how much should I be expecting to pay for 'meets expectation' service? Is this a % of the bill, or a $ amount related to the amount of time I'm being served (a proxy for the amount of service I get)? Whatever your answer, are you confident that most other patrons of said restaurant would agree with your recommendation?
2 comments
developer1 4180 days ago
One thing that is true that makes no sense is that tips are designed to be based on the dollar amount of the bill. Why should a 45 minute service of a $100 meal mandate a larger tip than the same 45 minute service of a $50 meal? The staff has put in the same amount of time and effort to serve both meals... yet the more expensive meal expects a larger tip. This aspect makes no sense whatsoever. A tip should be based on the number of clients served at a table + the time spent in the restaurant + perhaps additional money for special requests or complex meals.

If anything, you'd think the cheaper meal should have a larger tip since you're occupying a spot for a cheap meal when they could have had a client sit down and spend 3x as much as you. It's all backwards, the fact that the tip is based on the dollar amount of the meal...

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maxerickson 4180 days ago
I didn't say tipping was a great system, I said that you shouldn't eat at sit down restaurants in the US if you have a problem with it.

I guess if you want external validation of what is fair you can make it complicated, but I was trying to focus on tips not being extra compensation in that specific situation.

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rahimnathwani 4180 days ago
> I said that you shouldn't eat at sit down restaurants in the US if you have a problem with it.

I expressed no opinion on this point.

> I guess if you want external validation of what is fair you can make it complicated

Even if I don't want external validation of what is fair, it is still complicated enough that I need to pull out a calculator after a date with my wife.

> I was trying to focus on tips not being extra compensation in that specific situation.

Agreed, and this is the reason I tip according to local norms when I'm in the US.

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