Is it normal that i don't think tipping is necessary?

I don't like the idea of tipping, either. Employers should simply pay a fair living wage to their workers who should always be expected to do a decent job. And customers shouldn't need to pay extra to buy the goodwill of the people who deal with their physical needs, such as serving them food, driving them around or cutting their hair.

Depends what country you're from because I've heard in some countries employers can 'top-up' salaries to a normal rate with tips, others have tips added to the normal rate.

I'm from the UK, and we have a fixed national minimum wage. So unless the service I get is exceptional, or above what I expect to get for what I've already paid, I won't tip. I hate when people think someone who doesn't tip is 'tight-fisted' or 'stingy'. Most of them only tip because it is habit, it's the usual thing people do when eating out. In all likelihood, without the social expectation, it wouldn't cross their minds to pay someone more than what the bill comes to.

People don't tip staff at supermarkets, or staff at shops, or bus drivers, or train drivers, or the postman, or the butcher, or the dustbin men, or the police, or your teacher etc. So why only some professions? They are paid to do the job they signed up to do.

Never tip, and how is it possible for people to work below minimum wage? Isn't really minimum then right? Isn't even allowed.

Sure you can tip people for excellent work, but judging from the previous comments people don't even perform their jobs without tip, that just sounds like extortion. Certainly not behaviour that should be rewarded with extra money.

It works like this: you offer service for x, I pay x. Done. Want more? Then ask more x, then I decide whether it is worth it.

I have only tipped once before, when the restaurant gave us free ice-cream. I kind of felt like I had too after that. In most situations though, tipping is pointless and stupid.

Here's a tip: don't piss in the wind

It is allowed to give someone less than minimum wage if the majority of their compensation is...tips! Like I said before if you want it on the bill it is now whatever they want to charge which would probably be 15% or more plus your state's sales tax, so it comes out to more.

At least if they are incentivized they will work harder for better tips, and you can choose what percentage they get. If they didn't get tips they wouldn't care what your food was like if/when you got it. I don't care if you think it's greed driven and they should work with the commitment of a textbook Communist; if you have to understood anything about economics it is that humans do better work for more money. If not, why bother struggling to be nice and provide good service if it doesn't get you anything than if you were snotty and slow paced.

You call them greedy but you're not even willing to help the people whose job it is to make your life easier for less than minimum wage. It is ok if you simply don't have the money to tip, which is probably the case for the many posting on here living on fixed incomes.

Hmm you must be American (not in a bad way, it's just that it seems like it's a big thing there). I don't think it's necessary also, although I don't feel my opinion means much since I don't live there.

I don't live in a massively tipping culture but I always tip 10-15%. It gives someone a nice, little surprise.

Food servers get paid less than minimum wage most places, so more than half of their salary is made in tips. I worked doing pizza delivery, and believe me if you're notorious for not tipping your food is gonna get jerked around the car really badly every time by every one. On the other hand if you're at least an average tipper your food gets buckled in and the delivery guy rushes to your house. Gas isn't free, it isn't covered by our bosses, and they make less than minimum. If it is culture to tip, tip unless the person really does not deserve it.

Only Americans tip ... The rest of the world pays the listed price, and that's it. We might leave a small tip for excellent service in a restaurant, but most people don't do it cause it is just plain silly. Also, I think other countries pay their waiting staff better wages compared to USA.

I think it's rude not to tip. The waitresses (yeah, I didn't say "server", screw political correctness) only get to take home what they're tipped, so not tipping them is like telling them they can't feed their families.

My mom worked many years as a waitress, so I would know. I think the OP is lying about having worked as a waiter(ess) because if they had actually had the job, they would not say that you shouldn't tip.

I do understand people's reluctance to tip. I suppose it is not unreasonable to say it is giving people money to do their job, but I would not feel comfortable not leaving a tip. I would not want to be seen as tight. I suppose also a lot of people rely on their tips. xx

im a waitress and i dont tip people very well myself, like you said they are doing their jobs and are getting paid 8.00 an hour for it, i worked subway before being a waitress and we would get at MOST 5.00 in tips a night and the wok was at least 3 times as hard as what im doing now where ill walk out some nights with over 100.00 just in tips. i love the extra money and im only making about 300 a month off the hourly wage but with the tips its worth it and i only work like 2 or 3 days a week. So it's nice but i never really understand why we desevred o much extra cash for just doing our jobs, like sure its a pain to deal with people somethimes but i make like 25.00 an hour or more so its more than worth it, so its a weird custom i find unnecessary but i love it and hope it continues xD

Well, in the US, people that make some set portion of their income from tips can be paid an extremely low hourly wage (slightly above $2.00 an hour, I believe). Given that, I think tipping is necessary. Should it be this way? For most restaurants, I don't think so.

If the server is paid at the real min wage (what is it now.. 7.25/hr ?) then I agree any tip should be appreciated but not to feel like a "have to" thing. Most servers or bartenders are paid this... they are paid like 2.13/hr.. in which I think it is completely appropriate to tip. Its just saying that you appreciate you doing your job Over what is initally set for them. Its not like most places have a standard tip amount you are supposed to tip, its your free will. I tip according to the service I recieve and the place that I am at. Have been being a server and a bartender before, Often customers make employees feel like they are at the bottom of the food chain and they treat them like they are servants. Employees are theyre to Serve you not be a servant or be treated like one. There is a difference.

Geez, they need the tips. I wish we all got tips, but its better if some people get tips, rather than no one. I always tip generously. Serving others can be a little demeaning, tipping feels good.

i hate tipping.
just charge more for the food.
it's ridicilous.
i'm glad that we don't need to tip here in finland :O

it's included in the charge.

Its so true. Sometimes I think tipping is a waste of time...

They only add the tip because it is a lower class/lower income customer on the cruise that are too stupid and/or cheap to tip. Disney cruise much??? Wealthy people tip, tipping only seems to annoy the below average.

wow, i never realized tipping was just an American thing. i've always thought it was a little unnecessary, myself. especially lat sonic, with the car hops. if you let me, i'll happily go inside and get the food myself. yeah you look cute on roller skates and all, but guess what, this isn't the 50's!

but anywayz, i'll still tip. my parents yell at me and make me feel bad if i don't.

In the UK we don't have to tip and our serving staff work for the minimum wages. However, I always tip them if they are pleasant.

I ALWAYS tip bar staff if I am out for the night because even if it is 5 deep at the bar, I will get served ;o) When men complain to me that they've waited half an hour and still can't get served I tell them, "You obviously don't tip!" The majority of people don't, so they wait and wait and wait ...

We tip here in the mystical land of the Canada. Like people said, most of their wages are below minimum salary and they RELY on the tip to make their money. I think what they did in France and I'm sure many other places, they already add the tip in the price of your food if you went to a restaurant. I personally hate wasting the time calculating the tip for the person.

Their wages are often based on the assumption that people will tip 20%. When people don't tip, their earnings are less than minimum wage. You'd think this would give servers the incentive to do their job well but it can be hard to keep up the smile when assholes make you kiss their ass for a lousy $3 an hour.

I don't mind tipping, but when they look at me like "that's it" or when they make it mandatory, I don't want to.

Also if you want employers to pay tip wage employees more, you can sure as hell expect it to be added to the price of your food, which is even more than what the tip would be because now they have to tax that added money as well.

i love the great service in american bars/restaurants. I don't doubt the sole reason for the great service is the incentive of a tip! Finding someone that gives 100% to their job is a pretty rare find these days.

I was talking to some americans on holiday and they said its because american food retail staff get paid such poor wages. I am british and i only really give a tip if the food was really good

Yeah but the people driving you, serving you, and cutting your hair can all screw you over. Don't tip a waiter? Spit in food. Don't tip taxi driver? He drives around "lost" until the fare is hiked. Don't tip the barber? He screws up your head.

I don't care if you don't like the way the world works, if you're not willing to meet the societal norms in order to feed your selfishness, that makes YOU the a-hole. Giving money to those who work to make your life easier is not that bad of a reason to let the moths out of your wallet.

They are not waiting on you for the fun of it. Are you Caesar and expect your wishes granted based on fear of death instead of money? Pull your head out of your ass.

Yes because were already paying for the food and sometimes that's all you afford!!