BellaOnline Forums Money Frugal Living Tipping When You Are Poor

I always tip at restaurants where there are servers, unless the service was utterly horrendous, which does not happen very often.

Same here.

I have to side with Vintage - who, as you notice, says she doesn't go to tipping-type places then. Tipping just bothers me. Businesses should shoulder the burden of paying their employees - i don't know why i have to do it. I tip, as i mentioned above, out of guilt and shame, which are not lovely accompaniments to food.

Since you can legally leave a place without tipping, it is not mandatory. It is accepted practice in the US, but still absolutely a choice. You aren't stealing if you don't tip up.

IMO. It's an internal matter of how you feel about it. And someone can always get a minimum wage job elsewhere if they are in a Tipping State.

I guess I should simply make sure i only go out to places like counters, drive throughs and cafeterias if i don't want to tip.

This is a very interesting discussion, regardless of how people see it.

It is indeed an interesting topic, Jilly.

I don't tip out of guilt, but only because I want to and I think the server deserves it. I am not tipping the restaurant. If I don't have the money to tip I either go to a take out place or other restaurant where there are no servers at the tables, or I just don't go out at all.

Pulling from the comments here...

Ideas for people where tipping is an expense they don't like or can't afford:

-Order Take Out
-Use counter places, food courts, drive throughs, cafeterias, vending machines, food from cart/truck vendors (at job sites, malls, street corners)
-get pizza from the store so they don't have to send out a driver
-make your own food
-have potlucks, or those house to house dinners
-eat before going out with friends, and just get a water so you can enjoy the company but not feel forced to spend money
-Go to buffets, make sure not to order drinks from servers, and bus your own table
-Eat free happy hour snacks so you only have to tip for the bar drinks
-eat food samples at groceries and Costco when they have those stations at the end caps and by the deli/bakery

What am i missing? Do you think any of these are ridiculous ideas?

-eat food samples at groceries and Costco when they have those stations at the end caps and by the deli/bakery

OMGosh, Jilly... I do this every time I go to Costco and it saves me from having to stop and eat somewhere on the way home. Good idea!

Other thoughts I have. Because I cannot afford to tip others for the job they are supposed to do anyway.... I just do not go out to a sit-down meal anymore.

I still think food servers should earn more money and have the employer pay a bonus to them. in place of a tip, based on how many customers they served and how much money was brought in by that.

In an ideal world restaurants would pay their employees more money and there would be no reason to tip, except that I believe that some people who can afford it would still like to do so. Restaurants are in business to make money, so they won't ever be doing this, even though they charge a good price for a plate of food.

@Phyllis, I love those free samples. You get snack, fruit, appetizers, meat, side dishes, drinks and desserts. It's like a full meal of many little servings. Free food is fun. You've paid for the membership anyway, so why not indulge on your way home?

@Debbie, what do you think of my list a few posts ago about places to eat for non-tippers?

I like your list, Jilly. You always have great ideas.

I've been to a couple of places over the years that have included their own tip in the bill and didn't tell me. And then I went and tipped them on top of the tip and STILL they didn't tell me.

I think that is about as annoying as it gets.

Have you ever double tipped by accident?