In America, we tend to do things that vastly differ from other countries, ranging from our policies to the way we measure length and temperatures. These changes are confusing for most of our neighboring nations, but something in the service industry has even Americans scratching their heads. That would be the current culture of tipping and how frustrating it can be for both the consumers and the employees.
Tips have always been a part of food service and many other things for years, with it primarily being a way for employees to get extra money for good service. Most other countries still see it like that to this day, but in America, the option of tipping is no longer optional. Businesses now expect consumers to make up for most of their employees’ wages without ensuring they are properly paid in the first place.
For consumers, this puts an unexpected pressure on them to financially support the service on top of paying for the product or meal. Sometimes, restaurants even add the charges to the bill automatically to ensure that they are paid. For employees, this way of payment is not stable and can fluctuate constantly. Not everyone is going to pay a tip, especially if the consumer believes they were given inadequate service. It also defeats the point of employees doing a great job if they are going to get a tip anyway.
Any kind of service is hard work, and those who depend on it for work need to be paid enough to support themselves. However, the responsibility for their pay is mainly on the whims of the consumers, when it should be up to their bosses. I truly do think that this tipping culture should be replaced with something else that is more reliable.
