Automated Tipping at Restaurant Checkout

[HCCForever]

I used the percentage tipping at the checkout yesterday at Melbourne Seafood Station. I chose the percentage of 20% which is customary for me and probably more than I should. When I looked over the receipt, I was surprised to see that I was charged a little over $1 for a credit card fee. This is not the first time that I have seen this charge in Florida and usually restaurants and bars don't display this practice prominently.

But my real question is on the tipping percentage. They charged be 20% on the total bill which included taxes and the aforementioned credit card fee. Is this the way most restaurants calculate the tip?

 

[storrsroars]

I used the percentage tipping at the checkout yesterday at Melbourne Seafood Station. I chose the percentage of 20% which is customary for me and probably more than I should. When I looked over the receipt, I was surprised to see that I was charged a little over $1 for a credit card fee. This is not the first time that I have seen this charge in Florida and usually restaurants and bars don't display this practice prominently.

But my real question is on the tipping percentage. They charged be 20% on the total bill which included taxes and the aforementioned credit card fee. Is this the way most restaurants calculate the tip?

Yep. So your tip on a $100 meal in Minneapolis is $2.35 more than if you'd had that same meal in Portsmouth, NH.

 

[HCCForever]

Yep. So your tip on a $100 meal in Minneapolis is $2.35 more than if you'd had that same meal in Portsmouth, NH.

Thank you, I never noticed this before. When I calculate a tip, I do it on the food and drinks only.

 

[SubbaBub]

Some places offer a cash discount which manifests itself as a credit card charge fee. Mostly these are mom and pop places getting hit by fees.

Seems like a business mistake to me, most customers won't notice a small price increase and you get to pocket the fee for cash payers, if there are any left.

I see the universe of people buying based on the cash discount as pretty small.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

They charged be 20% on the total bill which included taxes and the aforementioned credit card fee. Is this the way most restaurants calculate the tip?

I'm with you, food & drink only. As far as I'm concerned you got hosed.
Even when we charge our meal, we try to leave cash for the tip. My limited understanding is if you charge the tips, some places make the waiters and waitresses wait to get the money. I don't know how many places do that, but we decided to always try and leave cash. If you do that, the auto tip can't scam you.

 

[HCCForever]

I'm with you, food & drink only. As far as I'm concerned you got hosed.
Even when we charge our meal, we try to leave cash for the tip. My limited understanding is if you charge the tips, some places make the waiters and waitresses wait to get the money. I don't know how many places do that, but we decided to always try and leave cash. If you do that, the auto tip can't scam you.

I agree, I always try to leave cash as a tip when I have the cash or can break what I do have.

 

[HuskyGooner124]

I'm usually curious about this when I see the tip suggestions at the bottom of the bill. I like to verify quick that the tip was calculated based off of the food/drink subtotal. Vast majority of the times it is, but there has been instances where it was calculated using the taxes, too. I don't know if that is a software issue or a restaurant decision. I'd guess it's the restaurant's choice but I've never asked.

 

[HuskyHawk]

When I was poorer, I calculated (i recall it went from 15 to 18 to 20% as norm) from the bill minus tax. I don’t do that anymore. If you don’t want to do that then do 18%. I now figure $2 means more to them than to me.

It’s all nonsense and tipping should go away. I vastly prefer the European way. Tell me what it costs and pay your people properly. If you really fell strongly about the service you can still throw down extra. My former boss was German and he’d take us out every quarter. Had to have us figure the tip for him because he just didn’t get it. The don’t negotiate car prices either. Nobody gets a great deal or a bad deal. Everyone pays the same. I’d be down for that too.

 

[HCCForever]

When I was poorer, I calculated (i recall it went from 15 to 18 to 20% as norm) from the bill minus tax. I don’t do that anymore. If you don’t want to do that then do 18%. I now figure $2 means more to them than to me.

It’s all nonsense and tipping should go away. I vastly prefer the European way. Tell me what it costs and pay your people properly. If you really fell strongly about the service you can still throw down extra. My former boss was German and he’d take us out every quarter. Had to have us figure the tip for him because he just didn’t get it. The don’t negotiate car prices either. Nobody gets a great deal or a bad deal. Everyone pays the same. I’d be down for that too.

I agree with you. I had a few beers in NYC at the Freedom Tower bar at the top a week ago. The beers were $12 as it was and then I looked at the bill and saw that they had added 18% for two people. I was sitting at the bar so the bartender only did his job. This is probably the worst case of tipping that I experienced but it was NYC.

But normally I tip about 20% because it is easier to calculate although I could use my phone but I still like to exercise my mind while I still can.