This is the erroneous assumption that undergirds the necessity of tipping. Given the changes in wages, especially minimum wage, I hope more people stop tipping just because the software offers it. I rarely tip outside of the full serve restaurant and personal care spheres.
“These companies need to start paying their employees properly.”
I would not tip on an online website order, but I do tent to tip for counter service, etc. I figure they need it more than I do
I hate the counter service situation because I am paying before I receive any service or the product for that matter. I don’t want to tip at a place where all they do is walk my order 15 feet and I’m expected to bus my own table. But I really don’t want them to spit in my sandwich. Feels like a protection racket.
I was listening to a podcast and the host mentioned that one method of tipping they like (to know that the tip is going directly to the employee who you want to tip) at restaurants/coffee shops is Venmo. The employee has a QR code somewhere (I don’t know, like a small sign at the counter or table) with no personal info on it, but directly connected to their Venmo account. I think there is a way to do it so they also don’t have your info as the $ giver. Anyway, you like their service? Tip them directly through Venmo.
Thoughts? (if you don’t have Venmo that’s fine, but if you do…)
I’m sure I’m being cranky but wait staff is supposed to declare their tips as any other person working.
I wonder why much of the American public feels that they shouldn’t?
There are places that I’m ok paying a tip to but it’s annoying when the pizza restaurant has 15, 20 and 25%. For a take out place, I will tip 10% and to do that I have to go through a few extra steps.
I’m definitely not using Venmo. If I wanted to help the wait staff not declare their income, I would use cash. And I would feel very odd about them putting their personal Venmo on the table.
Most servers have to tip out regardless of how they were tipped, sometimes it’s a shared pool, most of the time to bartenders and busboys.
Yeah, don’t shoot the messenger! 
I was just reporting back what I heard - and the people reporting on it seemed to like it. Are people reporting the $$$ they split at the end of the night at the local ice cream store from the little glass cup at check out???
On our cruise, I went into a candy shop. They had bins of candy. I shoveled some into a bag and took it to the checkout stand. The woman weighed it, told me how much it cost, and I stuck my credit card in the machine. There was an option for tipping, and I included one. Later, I was kicking myself - why in the world did I feel obligated to tip her when I served myself?? Argh.
Another item related to cruises: A hefty itemized “tip” is included in the cost of the cruise. Yet everyone feels obligated to tip their stewards a good amount at the end (and we always do). I know they work hard and come from poor areas of the world, but why do we have to tip twice?
Taxis in Vegas have tip amounts that start at 25%
The “hefty itemized tip” that’s included is split among all the various staff (including those behind the scenes who we never see or interact with, but whose hard work makes the cruise enjoyable) - whereas the one you toke your cabin steward at the end is specific to them, for the extras that they may have done for you. Many cruise staff are far UNDER paid, and are trying to support family at home.
Thanks for the explanation! I’m glad we tipped our steward well, then.
It’s interesting that they’ve cut back from two cabin cleanings per day to one. I kind of liked two, because we use so many towels on a cruise!
The steward will continue 2x daily, if you ask at the start (we often toke a bit when we ask, just to let them know we get that it’s “extra”)/
Maybe because we didn’t offer extra, but I asked specifically if there was any way to get two cleanings a day, and our steward said no.
I’ve seen many cruisers reporting the same, most won’t even give you the choice of morning or afternoon.
Yeah, sounds like your steward may have been persuaded by some $ at that time. We have never been told no, 19 cruises and counting, all the major cruise lines.
Waiting in line at Crumbl to place my order and pay at an unattended iPad where it asks for a tip with % amounts to select from - really? NOPE - go custom, pick up my cookies and leave. Ridiculous. I do tip 10% for meal pickup at restaurants although I grumble about that as well since online they default to 18% and I have to back peddle to find the custom button. More restaurants are also adding that tip into your check at the end of a meal, even when it’s just two of you spending $50 - really, check the details on your bill.
All these tips are a great disincentive to dining out or getting prepared food. I’m sure ores of everyone always having a hand out while prices keep increasing and portions decrease.
Why not pay them a fair wage and include that in the cruise cost?
I really wish our service industry would move away from our current model of underpaying staff and depending on the generosity of customers to make up the difference. I don’t believe any other country does it this way.
For the most part, cruise lines are foreign registered. They do not have to follow US rules/regulations (including disability rights).
I agree that the workers should be paid a decent living wage, this has been a hot topic for decades.
