How does tipping work in USA?

[Solstraale]

[MCheetah]

Basically, restaurants severely underpay their wait staff or delivery drivers and then tell you the customer you have to pay them a minimum of 19% (but really, more like 25-30%) and if you don't do it, YOU'RE considered the "asshole" because they're getting underpaid, and not the actual managers or restaurant owners, all despite "tipping" supposedly being 100% optional, but they try to bully and peer pressure you into doing it, anyway.

And because people are idiots, as well as also feeling smug about paying people for social respect, when you try to bring up how bad the US is, they get mad at YOU about it. You're also told you're supposed to tip them, even if they did a sh*tty job, even though it's supposed to be optional as well. Yes, you read that right; someone can do a bad job and you're STILL supposed to give them money for it!

Tip Culture in the US is socially one of the most retarded, dumb, ass-backwards things the US does, and ONLY the US does it. I've never supported tipping and I don't do it. I wipe my ass with anyone who has a problem with that too. Someone's condemnation of me isn't worth me giving someone 420 to bring food from point A to point B in-between texting their buddies or watching YouTube on their phones. I hated tipping so much, I avoided dining in restaurants altogether because of the social obligation to tip. People have actually doxed and outed people's addresses for either not tipping or not leaving a "high enough" tip, like 20-25% or something. It's THAT f*cking idiotic.

Speaking as an American, I assure you tipping is one of the most retarded things the US does. Yet, few people ever try to change it and just make a normal wage system where wait staff and everyone else gets paid fairly. But like I said, people are dumb and stubborn.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/q_vivC7c_1k

[slatyb]

What I so: At restaurants tip a minimum of 15% of the check before tax. I give 20% usually. The servers need a couple of extra dollars more than I do. I tip Lyft/Uber/Taxi drivers 15-20%. I tip baristas $1 for any thing they have to assemble (latte, cappuccino, etc). If you use Door Dash or other delivery service, I suggest $5 minimum. Any service at a hotel away from the front desk is $2, more if it took some time. Share cabs I tip about $5/hour. When there’s live music and no cover, I tip the band $5/person/hour. It’s usually my wife and me, so that’s $10/hour, but I usually stop at $20.

[SaoirseS]

15-20 per cent of the check (18-20 is most common) for restaurant servers. Customer discretion for parking valets, hotel shuttle drivers, etc.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

It's supposed to be 15% for breakfast, brunch or lunch and 18% for dinner.
Adding more is optional.

[AviatorTom]

In a restaurant, Americans typically tip the server at to 20 percent of the total bill. You can leave cash on the table or, most common, you add it to the bill when the server gives you the receipt when you use a credit card. Unlikely many other countries, tipping in the US is expected, in large part because the servers are not well paid. Where I am, the server makes $2.13 per hour... plus tips. It's also worth pointing out that a restaurant tip is shared by the server with others: hostess, busboy, barista, bartender, etc.

Speaking of that, tips are also expected for a bartender at a bar, pizza delivery person, etc.

[jshm2]

It doesn't.

Shit American employers fools their staff into thinking their shitty wage is not the upper managements fault. They believe the customers should tip to make up the shortfall as a result.

Then they wonder why people laugh at them, when they talk about Communism.

[exitseven]

When you eat a a restaurant of engage in some other form of personal service like getting a haircut, it is customary to give the server some extra money. Sometimes in is commensurate to the quality of that service. I usually tip 20% of the total bill if the service is satisfactory.

[Surely]

For average service I figure twenty percent. Easy to figure.
For exceptional service maybe twenty five percent or more.
For poor service around ten percent.

[msc545]

It is guilt-driven. We tip because employers refuse to pay workers a living wage.

[joeldalton]

Generally you tip restaurant workers 18% or more.

[Naughtyboy71]

If good waitress $ 25 to 30

[jjj101010]

My understanding is 15%-20% is standard

[888theGreat]

15% to 20%