discretionary service charge
- Thread starter DAIR
- Start date
Soldato
REALLY?! That sounds a bit wrong, I know it's custimary but it isn't manditory
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Depends on the state but it certainly can be the situation that a portion of the minimum wage comes from tips - if the tips + reduced hourly wage aren't enough to make up minimum wage then the employer makes up the difference.
In states where tips are not allowed to be included to make up minimum wage the expected tip amount is still the same (20% is generally standard in the US)
Soldato
But like I said, it's not manditory, so how can that be legal?
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Because as said above if there are insufficient tips to make up the minimum wage, the employer must top the wage up.
Soldato
[TW]Fox;20932301 said:
Still sounds fishy to me, and I don't mean the restaurant lol. Surely your boss has to pay you minimum wage, then the tips are a bonus for doing a good job
No in America. Tips are given even if you do an average job - its just how the culture works. A tip of 10% for example means you were unhappy with the service.
[TW]Fox;20932329 said:
A tip of 0% means they should assume the service was satisfactory (unless told different).
It is common in America for service not be part of the food cost. It's a different system over their. So the initial bill pays for the food and overheads, but not for the service.
Soldato
+1 I'm going to america in April and I won't be tipping anyone unless I get an extra steak with my food
Thats not how it works there.
I agree it's ridiculous, I hate paying it and it winds me up but when you are in somebody elses country you observe the culture of that country.
You'll likely change that view very quickly or you'll very likely have a lot of unpleasant incidents during your stay.
(bearing in mind what has already been posted re: how waiters are compensated in some states and also it is generally expected that waiting staff tip out other non waiting staff - if you don't tip them then you'll be hurting them financially as they'll still have to tip out to others based on the total sales made).
No. Excellent service should be rewarded.
Excellent service should come as standard.
I agree with that - but would class somebody going out of their way to make my experience great as being more than simply excellent service.
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Soldato
Usually give a tip of 10% if the service is fine. More if the service has been exceptional (~15%), and of-course no-tip if the service was below par.
Yes 'discretionary service charges' are sneaky, but I guess maybe they're designed for group/party bookings where usually people don't tip as much compared with if they were alone, and also hotels where people don't tip as much compared with resteraunts.
If the bill has included in it a 'discretionary service charge' of 10%, and I was going to tip 10%, then of-course I do not tip as it is done for me on the bill.
If the service was exceptional and thus I want to tip 15% I add this extra 5% to the 'discretionary service charge' included on the bill.
If the service was below par and I would not be leaving a tip I would ask for the 'discretionary service charge' to be removed.
Yes 'discretionary service charges' are sneaky, but I guess maybe they're designed for group/party bookings where usually people don't tip as much compared with if they were alone, and also hotels where people don't tip as much compared with resteraunts.
If the bill has included in it a 'discretionary service charge' of 10%, and I was going to tip 10%, then of-course I do not tip as it is done for me on the bill.
If the service was exceptional and thus I want to tip 15% I add this extra 5% to the 'discretionary service charge' included on the bill.
If the service was below par and I would not be leaving a tip I would ask for the 'discretionary service charge' to be removed.
That's about 10% then, and thus what I would to tip if the service was fine. The 'discretionary service charge' would therefore become my tip. I wouldn't ask for it to be removed, and I wouldn't add anything to it.
lol
As Fox mentioned, Excellence should come as standard.... Especially when the asking price for a steak weighs in at £30.