Hey Folks!
I’ve been living abroad for over half my life in a country where tipping is not the norm. At most you would round up. 19€ bill? Here’s a 20, keep this change.
Going to the US soon to visit family and the whole idea of tipping makes me nervous. It seems there’s a lot of discussion about getting rid of tipping, but I don’t know how much has changed in this regard.
The system seems ridiculously unfair, and that extra expense in a country where everything is already so expensive really makes a difference.
So will AITA if I don’t tip? Is it really my personal responsibility to make sure my server is paid enough?
You’re going to be asked to tip in many many other places. They usually flip an iPad at you that has 18%, 20%, and 25% buttons. There will also be a no tip button and it’s totally fine to choose this when you’re standing at a counter ordering food, picking up dry cleaning, at the vet (seriously?!), and a thousand other places. As others have said, it’s only really required if someone took your order at your table, or if they provided a specific service for you - taxi, delivered an item to your hotel room, etc. Also, while everyone says 20%, i feel like 15% is still an ok tip for average service. In bars, i usually go with $1-2 per drink depending on the bar and service provided (beer vs cocktail). Room service usually has a 20% fee added and it’s ok to ask if that goes to the hotel or server. Restaurants often add a tip automatically if you have a larger table or in touristy areas.
It’s never required.