While I wait for Whomageddon to finish airing so I can download, here's a poll!

[gogmagog]

[Poll #1218262]

I'm just curious about the art of tipping; I'm well-versed in the art of restaurant tipping (having grown up with "home cooking" being various Kansas City restaurants), but I'm always unsure when it comes to those other kinds of tips how much I should give. (I usually end up going for the high side of what I think is acceptable, because I'd rather err on the generous side, but then I wonder whether I'm tipping TOO highly.)

Note that I ask for "on average"; what I mean by that is, how much would you tip for acceptable to good service in this area? Also, if any of these results don't apply, or you have other thoughts about tipping and such, post them in the comments!

Comments

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

Do barristas really also get paid sub-minimum wage?  I didn't realize... I'm not in the habit of going to cafes, but when I do I usually just get a drinnk and something out of a case, so I never tipped.

I tip 18% at restuarants, because 18%tip+7%tax=25%, which is easy as long as they show the pre-tax total.

I've only paid for myself at a hairdresser twice, so no idea (probably 15-20%), and taxis are 15%.

[yoshitsune.livejournal.com]

I don't know whether baristas get less and are expected to make it up in tips...from a quick Google, it would appear that Starbucks baristas at least make minimum wage (here's an article (http://blogs.payscale.com/ask_dr_salary/2006/12/wages_tips_bart.html) with a breakdown of a lot of US tipping service industries and average pay scales). But I do know that restaurant staff are paid below minimum wage (not those who work at fast food places, just those who work at full-service restaurants). Now, it does have the trade-off that you can actually make MORE than minimum wage if your customers like you and your service and so tip well (and especially if you work at a nice restaurant where the food is more expensive, and hence tips are theoretically larger), but the inverse is also true.

[weruletheschool.livejournal.com]

The weird thing about Starbucks is that their starting pay here in MO is in the $7-$7.50 range (which unless you're getting full-time, really is not a livable wage). However, my sister-in-law works at one in LA, and starting pay there is maybe $.50 more per hour, despite the cost of living there being at least twice as high.

[weruletheschool.livejournal.com]

It really depends on the coffee shop. I've been paid anywhere from $5.00/hr to $8.50/hr as a barista. On of my last jobs had me at $6.00, and because the business was going downhill (I just found out it closed the other day, actually), the owner was talking about paying potential new employees only $4.oo or so. This same place did not do paid training, either, so all we would make for the first few weeks were our tips.

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

Hm, well, I don't think I've been in a coffeeshop aside from (rarely) starbucks and (very very rarely) seattle's best in the US, so I guess I'll stick with the not-feeling guilty... though I think I should check up on panera and au bon pain pay policies.