The "Speaking French Tax".....Right Or Wrong?

[Revoltingest]

Burlington, Vermont, restaurants automatically adds tip onto foreigners' bills | Mail Online

I don't know about the legality of it, but it's an amusing view into cultural differences.
My daughter works in food service (bartending & banquet supervisor) & noted some things about tippers:
- Men: good
- Women: not so good
- Asians: bad
- Jews: bad
- Blacks: bad
- Asian Indians: bad
One can't generalize from the experience of her employer (a university in a university
town), but it's interesting that the differences were so striking. (BTW, she's Asian.)
They also do a lot of weddings, which could skew the demographics of tipping, so be
cautioned people....we do not judge groups based upon this experience.

 

[Poisonshady313]

Burlington, Vermont, restaurants automatically adds tip onto foreigners' bills | Mail Online

I don't know about the legality of it, but it's an amusing view into cultural differences.
My daughter works in food service (bartending & banquet supervisor) & noted some things about tippers:
- Men: good
- Women: not so good
- Asians: bad
- Jews: bad
- Blacks: bad
- Asian Indians: bad
One can't generalize from the experience of her employer (a university in a university
town), but it's interesting that the differences were so striking. (BTW, she's Asian.)
They also do a lot of weddings, which could skew the demographics of tipping, so be
cautioned people....we do not judge groups based upon this experience.

In a banquet setting, the only one who should expect to get tips is the bartender.

Although this one time, I was serving a banquet for an alcoholics anonymous meeting, and a woman gave me a $14 tip for doing nothing more than pouring her a cup of coffee.

 

[Poisonshady313]

Regarding the article.... "She has been slapped with an automatic 18 percent gratuity three times because she often speaks friends to her friends during dinner."

The article isn't really all that long... you'd think someone would have noticed that before it got published.

Another thing....

The problem likely arises from a cultural difference. In Canada and most countries, tipping 10 to 15 percent is customary,

$1 is only 1% of $100. 2% of $50. Leaving a one dollar tip on a $50 bill isn't a cultural difference. It's a ****** thing to do.

Leaving no tip at all would be understandable... some cultures, i.e. some European cultures, don't tip at all.

But to know to leave a tip, and only leave a few cents? They should be ashamed of themselves.

Though I don't believe there should be gratuity included on the bill for only certain people.

If they're having such a problem, they should have a minimum gratuity (15%) on all bills.
​

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[Alceste]

Regarding the article.... "She has been slapped with an automatic 18 percent gratuity three times because she often speaks friends to her friends during dinner."

The article isn't really all that long... you'd think someone would have noticed that before it got published.

Another thing....

The problem likely arises from a cultural difference. In Canada and most countries, tipping 10 to 15 percent is customary,

$1 is only 1% of $100. 2% of $50. Leaving a one dollar tip on a $50 bill isn't a cultural difference. It's a ****** thing to do.

Leaving no tip at all would be understandable... some cultures, i.e. some European cultures, don't tip at all.

But to know to leave a tip, and only leave a few cents? They should be ashamed of themselves.

Though I don't believe there should be gratuity included on the bill for only certain people.

If they're having such a problem, they should have a minimum gratuity (15%) on all bills.
​

​

I'm Canadian. I tip 15% on the pre-tax total, 20% for great service, nothing or very close to it for terrible service. I mean awful. I've only stiffed waiters twice in my life. Once because he refused a cup of coffee to a homeless guy who had his money on the table, and once because she took out order and then totally forgot about us for over an hour.

I can only conclude that the waiters in question must be exceptionally bad, if they're getting a buck on a hundred dollar tab.

But four dollars an hour? How is that even legal? I can guarantee those Canadians don't know the waiters are pretty much ONLY paid in tips. We have minimum wage laws in Canada.

 

[Alceste]

Oh yeah, having been a waitress, l know who I used to dread: big groups of old ladies. Extremely demanding customers, terrible tippers.

 

[Apex]

But four dollars an hour? How is that even legal? I can guarantee those Canadians don't know the waiters are pretty much ONLY paid in tips. We have minimum wage laws in Canada.

We also have minimum wage laws...

Generally, by law, if the waiter/waitress does not earn, at a minimum, minimum wage after their hourly pay, and tips, are put together and divided by the amount of time worked, their employer must make up the difference.

 

[fantome profane]

Regarding the article.... "She has been slapped with an automatic 18 percent gratuity three times because she often speaks friends to her friends during dinner."

The article isn't really all that long... you'd think someone would have noticed that before it got published.

Another thing....

The problem likely arises from a cultural difference. In Canada and most countries, tipping 10 to 15 percent is customary,

$1 is only 1% of $100. 2% of $50. Leaving a one dollar tip on a $50 bill isn't a cultural difference. It's a ****** thing to do.

Leaving no tip at all would be understandable... some cultures, i.e. some European cultures, don't tip at all.

But to know to leave a tip, and only leave a few cents? They should be ashamed of themselves.

Though I don't believe there should be gratuity included on the bill for only certain people.

If they're having such a problem, they should have a minimum gratuity (15%) on all bills.
​

​

FTR I usually tip 20%, or 2 dollars per person whichever is more. I am in Ontario and I don't know if it is different in Quebec.

 

[Panda]

We also have minimum wage laws...

Generally, by law, if the waiter/waitress does not earn, at a minimum, minimum wage after their hourly pay, and tips, are put together and divided by the amount of time worked, their employer must make up the difference.

So tips are included in the wage?! Here they must pay minimum wage and then tips are added on top of that.

 

[Apex]

So tips are included in the wage?! Here they must pay minimum wage and then tips are added on top of that.

Yes, tips are included in the wage. Although some do pay minimum wage and then tips are just added on top. It just depends upon the business.

 

[Awoon]

Burlington, Vermont, restaurants automatically adds tip onto foreigners' bills | Mail Online

I don't know about the legality of it, but it's an amusing view into cultural differences.
My daughter works in food service (bartending & banquet supervisor) & noted some things about tippers:
- Men: good
- Women: not so good
- Asians: bad
- Jews: bad
- Blacks: bad
- Asian Indians: bad
One can't generalize from the experience of her employer (a university in a university
town), but it's interesting that the differences were so striking. (BTW, she's Asian.)
They also do a lot of weddings, which could skew the demographics of tipping, so be
cautioned people....we do not judge groups based upon this experience.

In Australia everyone makes at least minimum wage. They dont tip in Australia.

I know because I was there, left a tip and they thought I forgot my money on the table. My friends had to explain why they dont "tip" in Australia.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

So tips are included in the wage?! Here they must pay minimum wage and then tips are added on top of that.

Yes, but the minimum wage for wait staff in the US can be as low as $2.13/h, depending on the state.

List of U.S. minimum wages - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Until I looked it up, I didn't realize it was that low. I should probably start tipping more when I'm in the US.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Yes, tips are included in the wage. Although some do pay minimum wage and then tips are just added on top. It just depends upon the business.

That seems unbelievably crappy to me. I'd have problems with any restaurant owner who did that. I have no problem tipping, but I don't think that this absolves my server's employer's responsibility to pay him or her at least minimum wage.

I'm frequently surprised by just how sucky employment legislation is in the US: embarrassingly low minimum wages, employer freedom to fire employees for non-work-related reasons, etc. I find it surprising, since you guys seem to lead the way in workplace health and safety. I can't get around a mindset that says "you can't injure your employees, but you can treat them like crap in most other ways." It seems inherently contradictory to me: on the one hand, employees are valued, but on the other, they're not.

 

[4consideration]

Burlington, Vermont, restaurants automatically adds tip onto foreigners' bills | Mail Online

I don't know about the legality of it, but it's an amusing view into cultural differences.
My daughter works in food service (bartending & banquet supervisor) & noted some things about tippers:
- Men: good
- Women: not so good
- Asians: bad
- Jews: bad
- Blacks: bad
- Asian Indians: bad
One can't generalize from the experience of her employer (a university in a university
town), but it's interesting that the differences were so striking. (BTW, she's Asian.)
They also do a lot of weddings, which could skew the demographics of tipping, so be
cautioned people....we do not judge groups based upon this experience.

In my understanding tipping is a customary activity, not compulsory one -- unless otherwise noted (like printed on the menu.) I tend to over-tip. I have had many friends and family that worked in food service, so I like to tip as I would want someone to tip my family/friends. If a place automatically adds a tip to a bill, I am likely to leave it at that unless the service was superb -- since the matter was not left to my sense of generosity.

I think that tipping is a nice practise. However, I have an issue with it when the principle of tipping seems to become clouded -- in the direction of it being considered compulsory, rather than customary -- without advance notice and agreement on the part of the customer. I know of a lot of restaurants that add an automatic gratuity to parties of 5 or more. This policy is printed on the menu. I have no issue with that practise, as long as the customer is notified of the practise.

But, to add a tip to anyone's bill because one thinks the party will not tip does not strike me as honest behavior. What the customer actually has agreed to is the price (and applicable tax) on the menu. Gratuity is, in essence, a gift. If there is obligation and compulsion, it does not fit the definition of a gift or gratuity. If it is compulsory, it ought to treated as such and as part of the agreed price.

 

[Revoltingest]

In my understanding tipping is a customary activity, not compulsory one -- unless otherwise noted (like printed on the menu.) I tend to over-tip. I have had many friends and family that worked in food service, so I like to tip as I would want someone to tip my family/friends. If a place automatically adds a tip to a bill, I am likely to leave it at that unless the service was superb -- since the matter was not left to my sense of generosity.

I think that tipping is a nice practise. However, I have an issue with it when the principle of tipping seems to become clouded -- in the direction of it being considered compulsory, rather than customary -- without advance notice and agreement on the part of the customer. I know of a lot of restaurants that add an automatic gratuity to parties of 5 or more. This policy is printed on the menu. I have no issue with that practise, as long as the customer is notified of the practise.

But, to add a tip to anyone's bill because one thinks the party will not tip does not strike me as honest behavior. What the customer actually has agreed to is the price (and applicable tax) on the menu. Gratuity is, in essence, a gift. If there is obligation and compulsion, it does not fit the definition of a gift or gratuity. If it is compulsory, it ought to treated as such and as part of the agreed price.

i consider tipping to be compulsory when service is acceptable. It's an awkward
system, but we're stuck with it for the moment. We'uns generally tip 17% to 20%.
And even including the tip, we believe we get a pretty good value for where we eat.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Some restaurants in the UK make a service charge and still expect tips. Others ban tips...

I hate the whole process...
Restaurant staff should be properly paid. Any tips should reflect exceptional service and should not go into a pool or the owners pocket , directly or indirectly.

The true price of a meal should be shown on the menu with no add ons. Each Item should include all costs and services. In the same was as when you buy an Item in a shop.

If a waiter looks after us especially well then he deserves a bonus in the form of a tip.

American restaurants must hate British customers, as our tips are nominal at best.

 

[Shermana]

Burlington, Vermont, restaurants automatically adds tip onto foreigners' bills | Mail Online

I don't know about the legality of it, but it's an amusing view into cultural differences.
My daughter works in food service (bartending & banquet supervisor) & noted some things about tippers:
- Men: good
- Women: not so good
- Asians: bad
- Jews: bad
- Blacks: bad
- Asian Indians: bad
One can't generalize from the experience of her employer (a university in a university
town), but it's interesting that the differences were so striking. (BTW, she's Asian.)
They also do a lot of weddings, which could skew the demographics of tipping, so be
cautioned people....we do not judge groups based upon this experience.

Maybe us Jews and the others realize that "Tipping" is not supposed to be mandatory and the idea of an expected generosity is extreme audacity that many restaraunts have adapted to as a for-granted matter of fact that they pay waiters low in EXPECTATION of a this culturally-etablished mandatory-volunteer-generosity.

In short, Tipping is stupid and audacious. If you got exceptionally good service, a tip should be your way of showing appreciation to your waiter. Now it's expected regardless. For that I say boycott restaraunts, though I boycott eating establishments for more reasons than just that. If most people saw the conditions of the average restaraunt kitchen or how most waiters act they'd never tip again.

It's an awkward
system, but we're stuck with it for the moment.

You're about as stuck with it as you are stuck with paying over twice the market price for the same quantity of food just because its cooked and served to you on the restaraunt premises. The entire concept of an eating establishment needs to be re-examined by most people, when people realize just how pretensious (and dirty) the whole concept of a modern restaraunt is, and stop giving them a 100%+ markup for the same food they can make themselves at home, maybe a new brand of old-style restaraunts which were more affordable and didn't demand a tip will start opening.

 

[Shermana]

Yes, but the minimum wage for wait staff in the US can be as low as $2.13/h, depending on the state.

List of U.S. minimum wages - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Until I looked it up, I didn't realize it was that low. I should probably start tipping more when I'm in the US.

I believe waiters would collectively make more money if people woke up to how stupid tipping was and they had to be paid a base pay that everyone else gets. It shows how badly this pretensious "voluntary tipping" concept has gotten out of hand when they are allowed to pay waiters far less than standard in expectation of this voluntary-generosity. Tipping more only will exasperate this problem.

 

[The Neo Nerd]

The minimum wage in Australia for an adult is $15.51.

We do not have a tip culture, but some places have tip jars and unless the service is crappy ill drop my lose change in.

Some times if the service is really good i'll ask the register attendant to give some money to the person serving me.

 

[Revoltingest]

Maybe us Jews and the others realize that "Tipping" is not supposed to be mandatory and the idea of an expected generosity is extreme audacity that many restaraunts have adapted to as a for-granted matter of fact that they pay waiters low in EXPECTATION of a this culturally-etablished mandatory-volunteer-generosity.

If the norm is to tip, & wages are predicated on being compensated in this fashion,
then it would be cheating the waiter out of their wage if one didn't tip appropriately.

In short, Tipping is stupid and audacious. If you got exceptionally good service, a tip should be your way of showing appreciation to your waiter. Now it's expected regardless. For that I say boycott restaraunts, though I boycott eating establishments for more reasons than just that. If most people saw the conditions of the average restaraunt kitchen or how most waiters act they'd never tip again.

Inspections of local restaurants are posted here, & we avoid the ones with big problems.
Tipping as a system is ridiculous, but it is what it is....& if one doesn't tip, one had better not eat their regularly.

You're about as stuck with it as you are stuck with paying over twice the market price for the same quantity of food just because its cooked and served to you on the restaraunt premises. The entire concept of an eating establishment needs to be re-examined by most people, when people realize just how pretensious (and dirty) the whole concept of a modern restaraunt is, and stop giving them a 100%+ markup for the same food they can make themselves at home, maybe a new brand of old-style restaraunts which were more affordable and didn't demand a tip will start opening.

I find restaurants to be very competitive. You're paying for the venue, wages, taxes, utilities & other costs over & above the cost of raw ingredients.
Eating out might not be important for some, but our family loves it.

 

[mycorrhiza]

In Sweden, it varies quite much. Those highly influenced by American culture tip, but most people I know don't. Apparently many people tip in bars, but as a student I can't exactly afford a tip on top of the $7.50 a regular beer costs. At fancy restaurants it's more common to tip, though.