Restaurants adding fees

[TractorGunn]

I also pull my own purchases from the shelves in the grocery store, Target, etc. That is akin to pumping your own gas: gathering up the products you want to buy. Paying at the pump is a BONUS service as it means I don't have to waste time going into the store and standing behind the moron checking all his scratch off tickets and plugging up the line.

But self checkout and then a guy checking the receipts? Sod off, mate. You could just be checking people out instead. I use self checkouts in 2 situations: 1. I have 2 or 3 items that are non-controversial (not requiring intervention) and 2. the regular lines are insanely long. #2 is an almost never event around here.

We have that same moron here too.

 

[gsganzer]

Wife and daughter wanted pizza today, so we ordered it, went and got it, and they wanted a tip.

Just think about that, whether you get it yourself, or they bring it, they want a tip either way.

I have a couple of rules:
1. If I'm standing up when I order. No tipping.
2. If I take it to eat elsewhere. No tipping.

 

[Oaktree]

Wife and daughter wanted pizza today, so we ordered it, went and got it, and they wanted a tip.

Had that happen during covid at the pizza place we go to (phone order, takeout). They wouldn't allow customers in the restaurant during shutdown, so they'd have you park out front and they'd bring it to you, and you'd pay then. The waitress would get real snippy if you handed her a $20 and expected change. Uhhh, you wouldn't let me come in the shop to pick it up, and you expect me to pay you to bring it 10'?

 

[Torvy]

There is the option of not eating out. We pretty much gave up that habit when COVID hit in early 2020.

Compared to my childhood, we took our kids out a lot. Dining out was a huge splurge. 75% of the time it was because we were traveling. Another 20% was after Mass breakfast (maybe 4 times a year).

We actually ate out more during Covid specifically because the local restaurants (not chains) needed it. We picked Thursdays and went to a different local joint every week. For part of the time we had to pickup and take it home.

Wife and I typically only eat at restaurants when we visit the kids.

3 of the 4 kids worked in food service. One still does. Tips have been messed up for at least 10 years. The causes of this phenomenon are not something to discuss here.

 

[4570Man]

We are starting to see around here some places that add a city tax on top of the sales tax. I choose to not go back because of that. There are so many places that don't they are not hard to find. Bury it in the cost of doing business like everyone else... At least that way I won't feel like I have been gyped.

I generally leave 20% or more if services is as I expected. It's ok with me if they want to decrease the tip I normally would pay. I am certain though there are folks who don't tip, and the wait staff has to make a living.

It also encourages me to just eat at home or just pick it up and bring it home.

They have been doing that basically forever. Maybe they just separated the tax. Sales tax in my county is 9.75 percent. 7 percent to the state and 2.75 percent to the county.

 

[caver]

I'm curious if anyone tips at Sonic?

I did not know this was a thing until it was discussed many years ago on an old camping forum I used to frequent.

 

[rontaki]

Inflation is just another way to tax us sneakily.
edit-added the below:
The trend of gubments raising the minimum wage is simply them trying to look good, as that practice causes inflation and helps the gubmint hide the reasons for inflation (their overhead), but hurts retail until prices settle. So they charge these "fees" to make up for the less valuable money/increased costs, but do not want to remove the fees once they are no longer needed. They still play the "lowest prices" game. In the end, no matter how it is sliced, we all cannot afford as much as we used to. Those businesses that existed on consumer's excess buying power will disappear, if they haven't already.

 

[Torvy]

I'm curious if anyone tips at Sonic?

I did not know this was a thing until it was discussed many years ago on an old camping forum I used to frequent.

Yes. Tipping when they come outside to your car is normal. It's usually a buck or two, not a %.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’ve never worked in a traditional job where tipping was the norm except as a car hop during high school for country club events…

It was easy work and the chef always prepared plates for the boys…

Never expected anything and even declined at times but when forced I graciously accepted.

Best tip was $20 and this was many years ago… I said not necessary and the wife said just smile and say thank you… I said yes ma’am.

I had friends that worked the club golf course and were regularly tipped… especially when they recognized the regulars and would bring out the cart they favored, etc.

I found when I wore my brothers UC Berkeley shirt more tips came my way since many club members were alums…

 

[bigtiller]

Since there will be no tax on tips, wouldn't a lower % tip be equal to the standard 20% tip currently asked for?

It seams like a reduction would be fare.

 

[jmc]

I don't like having to decide how much to tip while the cashier or waitstaff is hovering over you.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Anyplace that adds ANY fee's to my meal, it's the last time I EVER go to THAT place, no need to, there's plenty of other places to go eat..

SR

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We almost never go out to eat. Fast food or otherwise. It is ridiculously expensive. We budget $100/mo for eating out. So basically 3 meals per month.

I do cook a lot. And since retiring, was able to get the monthly grocery bill down to $375/mo

There are so many other things I'd prefer to spend money on.

 

[bdhsfz6]

It isn't just restaurants. I booked a cruise last fall and the travel agent suggested we buy a package that included gratuities. Otherwise, there would be an 18% surcharge on all on board purchases. It sounded good so we bought it.

Well once aboard, all the service personnel had their hands out anyway. If you didn't tip them, you got the table next to the kitchen, or a seat in the back row at the shows.

Just another way the cruise industry extracts $$ from your wallet without raising the competitive cruise price.

 

[Oaktree]

Just another way the cruise industry extracts $$ from your wallet without raising the competitive cruise price.

And let's not even get started on the BS fees the phone company, electric company, internet providers, etc. tack on their bills. Back when we still had (a very limited) cable tv, the "broadcast tv" fee was more than the quoted service price more than doubling the actual monthly bill!
Many auto repair outfits tack on a poorly defined "shop fee" on your tab, others charge extra if they need to use torches. Seems to me this should be incorporated in your hourly rate.

 

[LittleBill21]

It isn't just restaurants. I booked a cruise last fall and the travel agent suggested we buy a package that included gratuities. Otherwise, there would be an 18% surcharge on all on board purchases. It sounded good so we bought it.

Well once aboard, all the service personnel had their hands out anyway. If you didn't tip them, you got the table next to the kitchen, or a seat in the back row at the shows.

Just another way the cruise industry extracts $$ from your wallet without raising the competitive cruise price.

what ship line was this? We cruise alot, I have never seen their hands out, and most seating is always prearranged, I have also never seen a gratuity package???

 

[Torvy]

With utilities, it has long been practice, if not legal requirement, for them to detail the costs. Often, they are passing along government fees. I've got zero issue with that. It gets different when they add on fees and blame the government when it isn't really a gov fee or requirement.

My least favorite tipping is those pre-purchase tipping. Coercion of a tip like that suggests that my service may be poor (or worse) if I don't tip. I avoid return visits to anyplace like that.

As to tip%. It used to be 10%. Easy to figure. Since prices go up, why would the % go up, too? Tips should always be for good service, not a default. Once we had horrible service at a fancy restaurant in Vegas (off strip). We made a point of tipping the water boy, who was excellent, and gave a dollar or less to the waiter who was awful.

One of my daughters waited tables at a regional chain. They assumed 20% tip and took from her total to tip out the back of house, too. Effectively, if she didn't average at least 20%, she was losing money.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Saw this article a few mins ago. Had no idea they can just make up a number to use a CC for gas.

MSN

 

[Jstpssng]

The general store in a local tourist town where my sister had a camp used to charge rather high prices. If somebody mentioned them he'd say "I charge that because I have it and you need it.

I believe that the real reason was a bit more mundane, he had to pay extra for delivery since he was so far out of the way, which I can understand. Yet because he was such a ******** about it, I always made sure I had gas or would drive 18 miles to get it elsewhere.

 

[ultrarunner]

We have the opposite near my WA place… a small gas station with general store with a little bit of everything…

The folks are so nice… even letting oversized parcels be dropped off and offer free coffee that the locals really support it… gas is 10 cents a gallon more but keeps me from driving the 20 mile round trip to town.