Put Your Wallet Away, More Restaurants Do Away With Tipping

By SheSpeaksTeam Jan 04, 2015

It’s always customary at the end of a meal at a restaurant to do a little math before signing the check. Whether you’re known as a generous tipper or you’re a little more frugal in this department, the act of tipping your waiter may become obsolete in the near future.

CNN reports about the growing trend of restaurants eliminating tipping from the menu. Restaurant owners across the country are beginning to see the benefits of paying their workers rather than having them rely on customers for a living wage. San Francisco restaurant owner Thad Vogler will be implementing a new system in his two restaurants where menu prices will increase by 20% and to make up for it customers will not be expected to leave tips. Vogler explains, “It's time for the restaurant business to be more like every other industry and charge what's appropriate rather than relying on other people to compensate its workers.”

So far, the no-tipping policy is more popular in larger more metropolitan areas, but experts believe that the trend could take off further over the next year. In Newport, Kentucy at a restaurant called Packhouse, customers are explicitly told via a sign by the front door that they are not expected to tip their servers.

The problem with this is that people have become so accustomed to tipping for good service that many waiters at Packhouse receive a few extra bucks most of the time. Owner of the restaurant Bob Conway explains, “It's usually just a few dollars, and that's fine, but we try to explain that our servers are very well compensated.”

For many diners, tipping can be a way of commenting or showing appreciation of the service. So there may be a good number of customers who don’t take kindly to losing their control over tipping in restaurants while others may be relieved to not have to think about the tip and know exactly what their bill will look like at the end of a meal.

What do you think of restaurants that are doing away with tipping?

Would you like to see more restaurants stop relying on patrons to compensate their servers?

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Comments

by GuessWho | PHILADELPHIA, PA

Jan 19, 2015

I always believed that waiters and waitresses should receive a decent salary. Most of them work very hard and get paid very little. It is impossible to rely on tips because some people don't tip and others tip to low.

by lbjones89 | PETERSBURG, VA

Jan 18, 2015

its a good idea because you cant always depend on customers to tip

by Britnev | Clearwater, FL

Jan 10, 2015

I think it is a great idea if the staff are properly compensated by the restaurant. We tend to tip very well and only if it is a really bad service do we leave less than 20% however I know plenty of people who don't tip well (if at all). I would rather pay more for my meal and not have to worry about leaving enough tip. Waitress and/or waiter jobs are hard enough - they deserve a decent wage that isn't reliant on hoping that people will leave a good tip.

by AllThoseThingsILove | BREA, CA

Jan 05, 2015

Comparing the service we received in Japan, (where tipping is not encouraged) to the standard level of service we get in most US restaurants, I'm all for the change. But prices would go up since restaurants would have to pay the waitstaff more. So there's that. I don't think it will take hold across the country... so we're left with typically mediocre service. (can't wait to visit Tokyo again!)

by FarmWife50 | WOLCOTT, NY

Jan 05, 2015

I think more people would be interested in being a waiter or waitress if they could rely on a salary. My sister was a waitress and some weeks were great, while other weeks depending on holidays, etc... could be pretty lean.

by QUERIDA | OCALA, FL

Jan 05, 2015

for me its a good way only if they are in the pay roll and get paid a decent amount . Being a waitress or a waiter is sometime a difficult thing they have to deal with the mood changes of customers.

by NalaKnows | MERRITT IS, FL

Jan 05, 2015

I like the Idea of no tipping. I feel that the servers should not have to worry about getting paid. If I have good service I think I will still go out of my way to leave a little more for the service I receive.