You have noticed as I have: the tipping culture has grown significantly since the beginning of the pandemic.
While Quebecers showed their solidarity in the spring of 2020 – I personally donated $5 to grocery baggers – that generosity has now waned so much that we are now witnessing the phenomenon of the “disease of the tip.”
What customers think
“The tips are bullshit, I avoid eating out and when that happens I eat takeaway,” exclaims a subscriber to my Instagram page (@Elleinvestit) during a vox pop on the topic.
“Machines that start at 18% insult me!” adds a second.
“Tip at the fruit stand. “The guy was right to throw three amounts into the till,” protested another.
“The machine in a potato hut read: 15% good, 20% excellent, 25% perfect,” says another woman. Personally, I often choose the “right” option. No shame in my game.
Tip not to feel cheap
This is my interpretation of the situation: We tip even when we don't want to, out of fear of being judged.
I can't help but think that this is more “feminine” behavior.[1]. Generally, we think of others rather than ourselves. Our mothers did that, and so did theirs.
However, after publishing my vox pop, several women confided in me that in the future they would “accept being cheap” and “be careful about tipping in cafes and takeaways.” I assume that the testimonies collected within my Instagram community had a guilt-alleviating effect.
The tip is calculated on the amount before taxes
I also thought it would be good to remind my readers that according to tipping etiquette, the tip is calculated based on the amount before taxes.[2]. For example, if my latte and croissant cost me $8.50 before tax and $9.78 after tax, I must charge for the service on the first amount.
The problem is that payment terminals are programmed to calculate the tip on the after-tax amount. So that means our 15% is actually more like 18%.
Waitress Tip: Give 13%
“You have to give 13% to the machine if you want to give 15%. I'm a waitress and I think tipping is ridiculous. “Sometimes I earn more in a night as a waitress than as a teacher,” says one subscriber.
The reason is simple: since the machines are programmed to calculate the tip on the amount after taxes, paying 13% at the terminal is equivalent to paying 15% on the bill before taxes.
Now I would like to point out that tips remain a sign of appreciation when a service is provided, in contrast to the salesperson who “rightly gave three amounts to the cashier”. There is a difference between tipping jobs and others. In any case, you are free to leave 15%, 18% or even 25%. It's your money.
So let's stop feeling cheap!
Info box:
- The tip is calculated on the amount before taxes.
- Payment terminals are programmed to calculate the tip on the amount after taxes.
- Tip: Select 13% at the payment terminal if you want to leave 15% before taxes on the invoice.
[1]My Instagram page audience is 93% women.
[2] Contant, Catherine, “Tipping: Where, How Much, Why?”, Radio-Canada, March 3, 2023
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