Tipping culture is ever-changing and, for many, has always been a bit confusing. Perhaps that’s why a training video was made circa the 1980s to give “tips” (pun intended) on gratuity after a meal.
The Instagram account Totally 80s Room (@totally80sroom) posted the clip, with a chyron reading, “How much should you tip?” We see a video of a young woman receiving her bill. She ponders, “Hmm, how much should I tip?” A male voiceover answers, “That’s a good question. The gratuity can range from 10% for acceptable service to 20% for exceptional service.”
The screen then flashes over to a “waitperson” rocking a stained shirt. Mascara drips down her face, while she casually blows bubbles with her gum. The voiceover continues, “But if your waitperson is blatantly bad or has some attitude, don’t tip. Just leave a penny to show you didn’t forget to tip. And tell the manager your complaints. Believe me, he wants to know.”
During this advice, the server then says to the customer, “Look. You’re just lucky I’m waiting on you.”
The question is posed: “Basically, did the waitperson do everything in their power to make your dining experience pleasant? Were they courteous? Were they knowledgeable about specials, preparation methods, menu accompaniments, and other aspects of the restaurant? Or don’t they?”
While the appropriate waitperson seems caring and calm, the “bad” employee files her nails and quips, “I ain’t got all day. Are ya gonna order or what?” The customer asks, “Ma’am, what’s the soup today?” The server is annoyed by the question. “Soup? I don’t know! Some kind of vegetable thing.”
People in the comment section have a wide range of views. Many joke about the absurdity of the video itself. “I hate when servers constantly tell me how lucky I am they are waiting on me.”
Others debate tipping etiquette in general with a variety of thoughts. “Always 20%.” “Australia = no tipping.” “15% if it’s okay service. 10% if it’s terrible service. 20% if the service was amazing and 0 if I have to order at the counter and get my own food.”
Another notes how even the idea of a pressured gratuity has changed. “It’s not tipping anymore. It’s commission.”
What’s up with tipping anyway?
In MSN‘s recently posted piece, “The right thing: Should waiters expect a tip on every meal?” Jeffrey L. Seglin explains how much wait staff (and the restaurant owners) depend on these tips, especially in the United States. “The federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour (a rate that hasn’t changed since 2009), and the federal tipped minimum wage is $2.13 per hour. Because the federal tipped minimum wage is below the federal minimum wage, most Americans who dine out know that most servers make a living wage based on the tips they receive.”
CNBC writer Emily Lorsch reveals that expected gratuity percentages have grown over the decades. While in the past few years tips have crept up to over 20% for some diners, it didn’t used to be that way. “During the 1950s, people commonly tipped 10% of the bill. By the 1970s and 1980s, that percentage had jumped to 15%.”
Lorsch shares data from a study conducted by Creditcards.com, who claim that the sleek machines brought to the table may pressure many to tip more. “22% of respondents said when they’re presented with various suggested tip amounts, they feel pressured to tip more than they normally would.”
Regardless of steadfast tipping etiquette, it’s safe to say that wait staff should never file their nails at the table. Hopefully, that doesn’t change.
