Just Another Tipping Rant
By Loretta
@noni1959 (13189)
United States
August 20, 2026 11:19am CST
Tipping has become complicated because it seems to be requested more and more, and sometimes in places that leave me scratching my head.
For instance, once a week I load my truck with different things and drive more than nine miles to the transfer station. I weigh in, unload everything myself, and then go to the window to pay. Sitting there is a tip cup.
A tip for taking my money?
It can start to feel less like appreciation and more like an obligation.
With restaurants, I understand the importance of tipping. What I have never understood is why the tip should be determined almost entirely by the price of the food rather than the service received.
If one person orders a shrimp dinner and another orders a burger, why should the server automatically receive a larger tip for carrying the shrimp dinner to the table? The amount of service may be exactly the same.
Then there are hotels. Housekeeping tips in the U.S. are generally optional, but those envelopes left in the room can still make things feel awkward. Hotel stays are expensive, and you're often paying a high rate for a room you're in for less than 24 hours.
I decline housekeeping during my stay and leave my room reasonably tidy. The room was cleaned before I arrived because the previous guest left and it had to be prepared for the next paying guest.
If someone goes out of their way to help me during my stay, I'm happy to tip them. But sometimes the name on the housekeeping envelope isn't even the person who helped me.
Last night here in Oregon, I took my grandson out for dinner. We ordered fajitas and drinks. The food was wonderful, but we couldn't get anyone to come back and refill our drinks.
Then, before we were even finished eating, not even 15 minutes into our meal, another waitress came over and started picking up our plates. As we were literally mid-bite, she asked, "You done?"
I looked at her and said, "Apparently so."
She mumbled an apology, and thankfully my grandson asked for two to-go containers before our food disappeared.
Then came the payment machine and, of course, the request for a tip.
I did leave a tip, but I certainly didn't leave 20% or more. I tipped according to the service we received.
Tipping will probably always be with us, but I think we need to get back to the basics. The tip should reflect the service, not simply how much something happened to cost.
What do you think? Do you tip according to the percentage you're "supposed" to leave, or according to the service you actually received?
10 people like this
12 responses
@DaddyEvil (179139)
• United States
20 Aug
I embarrassed the people sitting at the table next to ours the last time Pretty and I went out to eat. I told the waitress that didn't do anything besides set my plate and cup on the able that she earned $2 as a tip because she didn't check on us, refill our drinks or do anything else that I could see. We got up, went to the cash register and I saw the other people slipping more money onto our table. Apparently, my tip wasn't enough. 
Edit to add: She was lucky I left that much. What I normally do for a lazy waitress/waiter is leave a one cent tip.
Edit to add: She was lucky I left that much. What I normally do for a lazy waitress/waiter is leave a one cent tip.4 people like this
@noni1959 (13189)
• United States
10 Sep
A prior son-in-law used to line up quite a few dollars on the table and when the waitress or waiter first came, he would say the tip is going to depend on the service. Every so often, he would remove a bill if no refill, forgot something or us. Only once was there no tip. Those people must have had second hand embarrassment from her.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (179139)
• United States
10 Sep
@noni1959 I was pretty upset that they paid a tip for me. Embarrassment doesn't work if somebody else "helps" pay the tip.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (88744)
• United States
20 Aug
One of the good things about going to a “regular” restaurant is I know I’m going to get good service; and, in turn, the servers know they’re going to be tipped well. I tip well when I get good service, and I don’t when they don’t deliver.
I DO NOT tip cashiers, sandwich makers, line workers at fast food places, etc. TIPS are supplements to wages. The people who get tips are paid at $2.12 an hour, and the tips are supposed to supplement the rest. The people who check you out or make your Subway sandwich are the ones who clamored (successfully, in many places) for $15 an hour minimum wage. When they make $2.12 an hour, I’ll tip them. Otherwise, no.
3 people like this
@noni1959 (13189)
• United States
10 Sep
Well written! Here in Washington, restaurants are not allowed to pay a reduced wage. It bans tip credits for their wages. The minimum here is $17.13 an hour, but in more expensive cities like Seattle, it's $21.30. A good waiter/waitress could make at least $35 to $55 an hour at night in the end. Some share, but still come out pretty good.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (15475)
• Ireland
20 Aug
@noni1959 I’m always happy to tip for good service. What I don’t like is when the card machine gives me the option of tipping. Last restaurant I was at the girl told me if I wanted to leave a tip I should press the yes button on the card machine. I said “I intend leaving a tip but I won’t be told by a machine to do so. I’ll leave cash on the table”. When I tip the amount depends on the service I have received.
3 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (125809)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
20 Aug
Tip based on the service you receive period.
3 people like this
@shaggin (75376)
• United States
13 Oct
I may have skipped the tip at the restaurant you went to. Doesn’t sound like they really deserved a tip. Not a good experience there. I don’t think the housekeeping staff needs a tip they are paid hourly either minimum wage or more. The tip at the transfer station makes so sense at all 
.
.1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (504982)
• Italy
21 Aug
Here in Italy the tips are to be "shared" among all waiters, but the "service" is a fixed amount added to the bill, no matter if you ordered a glass of water or a lobster. Tipping is not mandatory, you can if you want to let the waiter know you appreciated the service.
2 people like this
@JESSY3236 (22554)
• United States
22 Sep
I agree that tipping has gotten out of hand. When my boyfriend and I went to a event last weekend (which turned out to be an non event because the musician didn't show up), we went into a store and he bought us some frozen ice cream desserts. They had a tip option when he paid. He didn't tip.
1 person likes this
