Tipping And Hospitality In America Is An Absolute, Out Of Control Mess
I never thought I’d be a ‘bad tipper’ but now I have no logical choice
We’re in what feels like an impossible situation.
Apparently, many, if not most restaurant owners have no choice but to struggle to survive. The only agency they have in the matter of survival is if they should increase prices and/or decrease portion size or not.
Taking chances, using loss leaders (even if, technically, they’re illegal) and finding meaningful ways to increase volume (as to offset lower revenue and not increase prices) appear to be options that are largely off of the table, particularly for the small or otherwise independent operator.
As guests of the establishment, sticker shock and subsequent disappointment in virtually every aspect of dining out has become the frustrating norm. One of society’s most important rituals — enjoying food and drink in the company of others — is financially inaccessible to many and simply not worth it to the people who can still afford to go out for a regular bite to eat.
For me, this tension manifests itself in several concrete ways:
- Like large and increasing numbers of Americans, I’m not going out to eat as much anymore.
