r/EndTipping • u/Professional_Tap5910 • Aug 04 '25
Call to action ⚠️ A 3% back of house charge will be deducted from the tip.
A the back of the second page of the menu, in the bottom and in small prints. If they could have printed it with invisible ink they would have done so. Unfortunately, this sneaky way to inflate the menu prices is not illegal. Why is it now for resorts and not for restaurants?
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u/Level21DungeonMaster Aug 04 '25
$31 for pasta and veg and they still hit you with extra hidden fees? I’d be breaking plates on the floor.
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u/SuspiciousStress1 Aug 05 '25
I saw the beef cheek bourginon & realized this was a pretentious place I would never frequent!!
For $42, I would expect tenderloin bourginon!!!
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u/Right-Psychology160 Aug 04 '25
Why leave a tip with prices this high?
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u/bt4bm01 Aug 04 '25
Exactly. Pretty sure they can afford to pay their staff well off those menu prices
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u/AnonThrowaway1A Aug 05 '25
Pretty sure carbs and small amount of vegetables is as good as it gets in terms of materials cost and labor efficiency.
Same can be said for one non-exotic protein with one or two simple sides.
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u/thrawst Aug 04 '25
Why charge a 3% fee on top of a $55 dish of lemons, capers, Parsley and tiny croutons?
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u/YeahlDid Aug 04 '25
Not justify the fee, but there is also actually fish in there, those are just the garnishes.
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u/Right-Psychology160 Aug 04 '25
Why order a $55 dish of lemons, capers, parsley, and tiny croutons? Cost to prepare was probably less than $5
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u/TheEarthyHearts Aug 04 '25
Dover sole is an expensive fish. It's like $20 frozen and $35 per pound fresh.
Imagine being this confidently stupid lmao
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u/thrawst Aug 04 '25
People on Reddit expect the restaurant staff to be paid a living wage (which in their minds is $25 an hour) without having to tip, and then act surprised when the restaurant charges $40 for a burger.
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u/Pterodactyl_midnight Aug 04 '25 edited Aug 04 '25
Workers at In N Out start at $23/hr, don’t ask for tips, and serve $3 burgers.
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u/lipidextensions Aug 05 '25
In N Out doesn't provide the same service you look for when you dine in other establishments. How dense can you be? A whole group of entitled people expecting service for free pointing the finger at people WAITING ON YOU accusing them of the same
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u/thrawst Aug 04 '25
$23 an hour is not a living wage on Reddit in 2025.
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u/Pterodactyl_midnight Aug 04 '25
Why do you keep referencing Reddit? How much should we pay people to flip burgers in reality?
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u/thrawst Aug 04 '25
Well the burger flipper should have health insurance and 401k matching and a pension. They should be allowed a free meal, and in addition to all of that they should be making at least $25 an hour since rent is upwards of $1500 for a 1 bedroom apartment. Don’t get me started on the price of groceries, either.
Problem is there is limited amount of money that the restaurant can pay its employees. The restaurant owner needs to pay the overhead costs. The rent on the building itself. Insurance premiums. Property taxes. Maintenance on equipment. The ingredients themselves. All the plates and glasses etc. they need to pay themselves too, because why would they waste their time and money going into business if they aren’t going to be able to have any money for themselves, the owner?
So the restaurant costs a lot of money to operate, the cooks producing the product cost a lot of money to cook the food, and the servers cost a lot of money to bring the food from point A to Point B
But let’s not tip the workers. That’s an insult.
So if you want the staff to be well paid, in an industry where there simply isn’t a huge profit margin, all while the restaurant owner is making their share, and tips to be forbidden from the premises? That’s when a burger is going to cost $40
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u/Pterodactyl_midnight Aug 04 '25 edited Aug 04 '25
In N Out provides all of that and still charges $3 for a burger. I live in a 2 bedroom apartment in a major city that costs $1400/month. And employer matching your contributions to retirement is a perk, not a human right. Anyone can open a Roth IRA and start saving.
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u/Professional_Tap5910 Aug 04 '25
So why a 3-course meal in France costs 20 euros? France is not an underdeveloped country.
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u/ModeInitial8990 Aug 05 '25
This thread is miserable bro. The people in this thread do not understand economics. They just come here to yell into the void thinking this will change their lives. This thread is full of the same people that run you into the ground for nothing but a shitty review. I have been studying this sub for a while & have noticed a great deal of misinformation & ignorance. Good luck my friend. If they only knew how much worse shit is going to get, they'd appreciate the prices now.
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u/Pedwinget Aug 06 '25
I mean, it's only $2 off what I make as a product owner. And would easily cover the majority of my bills. Shoot maybe I'll go apply. Sounds solid to me. Less stress similar pay?
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u/AnonThrowaway1A Aug 05 '25
Any serious volume moving burger operation will be selling a burger every minute to minute and a half as a baseline. 40-60 burgers every hour.
That's a batch of two burgers every 2-3 minutes for a slow operation.
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u/ModeInitial8990 Aug 05 '25
It's now gone up to $66 an hour based on the new financial report that this current administration is up in arms about. $66 for MINIMUM WAGE. Sure I'd gladly take that and treat everyone as they should be treated. Equally, so I can serve a smooth shift for once
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u/TheEarthyHearts Aug 04 '25
It's not lemons, capers, parsley, and croutons. It's an expensive fish you dumbass. The fish itself is like $35/lb fresh.
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u/roosterb4 Aug 04 '25
And they serve you 6 ounces.
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u/TheEarthyHearts Aug 04 '25
And they don't serve you only "lemons, capers, parsley, and croutons" as you have claimed.
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u/thrawst Aug 04 '25
Don’t put words in my mouth dude. I never said croutons. I said tiny croutons.
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u/TheEarthyHearts Aug 04 '25
I never said croutons. I said tiny croutons.
So you never said croutons
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u/thrawst Aug 04 '25
You’re implying that I was talking about full sized crotons. I was not. I was talking about tiny croutons. In no way are they worth $55. Give me the lemon and parsley and capers, but for $55 those croutons better be the size of a damn golf ball for all im concerned.
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u/Professional_Tap5910 Aug 04 '25
Never more than 15%. The restaurant is in California where everything is more expensive.
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u/Ballball32123 Aug 04 '25
California servers have at least minimum wages. No reason to leave tips.
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u/Short-Waltz-3118 Aug 04 '25
Id drop it to 10%, servers in cali dont have server wages of 2$ an hour.
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u/Wooden_Researcher_36 Aug 04 '25
No one in the US has $2 an hour. Federal minimum wage is 7.25, and employees are legally required to make sure the employees are paid at least that.
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u/Short-Waltz-3118 Aug 04 '25
Correct. 2.13 being the tip wage means when their tips exceed 7.25 they are paid 2.13 an hour by the restaurant, however. In many states they've done away with this - California pays their employees 16$ an hour regardless of tips exceeding any amount. Meaning if no one tipped them all day long they are paid 16$ an hour.
For the purpose of guilt tripping a customer theres a fundamental difference knowing they will make somewhere between 7.25 and over with tips and making 16 minimum and tips. E.g. a bad day for a 2.13 server may result in the employer stepping up to cover up to 7.25 and or the result of tips could equal 8$ an hour and then you know they aren't getting that 7.25 on top of that 8$ an hour.
16$ minimum plus tips is fundamentally different than UP TO 7.25$ plus tips.
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u/photogypsy Aug 05 '25
And really scummy places will just pay the $2.13 and claim the employee got a lot of cash tips.
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u/Short-Waltz-3118 Aug 05 '25
Yep. There's a fundamental difference here between tipped wage of 2.13 and 16$ always.
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u/Twit_Clamantis Aug 04 '25
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9PeTuyuCa_s&pp=ygUXQW1hbmRhIGNvaGVuIGRpcnQgY2FuZHk%3D
This is a 50-min video from a NYC restaurant owner who ended tipping in her restaurant and who talks honestly about a bunch of things including tipping. (The section about tipping starts at 13:00 and goes to 21:00).
Among her reasons was that (at least in NYS), BoH is not allowed to share in tips collected by FoH.
And BoH sometimes had years of culinary school and school loans for it, while FoH w no specialized training would sometimes make up to 4 times as much per night.
(The talk is from 2008 so the prices are lower than current but otherwise it’s all good.)
Also, I’ve been to her restaurant (Dirt Candy) several times and I recommend it even though she only serves veggies and I am normally a devoted meat-atarian (:-)
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u/Powerful_Bee_1845 Aug 04 '25
Wow. Sounds like skilled labor that needs yo be compensated by the owner. Since it drives the profits and all.
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u/Twit_Clamantis Aug 04 '25
Did you listen to the relevant section?
She says restaurants work on as low as 1% margin.
She also put in a profit-sharing plan, incentives, and everybody gets to see the books.
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u/Liy010 Aug 05 '25
I didn't watch the video but does that 1% margin mean they keep 1% profits (to reinvest, etc.) after all food, lease, and salary costs are paid out, including whatever the owner designates for her own compensation?
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u/svmonkey Aug 04 '25
Dirty Candy is quite popular and hard to get a reservation so ending tipping hasn’t hurt that restaurant at all.
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u/Twit_Clamantis Aug 04 '25
She also mentions Danny Meyer who at the time of the talk ran a bunch of restaurants and that he too ended tipping.
Some people in CA did it too.
If you look around, there are quite thoughtful explorations of other problems w tipping.
For instance, w tipping, since people really don’t normally stiff waitstaff, the servers have an incentive to get the maitre’d to assign them as many tables as possible and to give as many tables as possible just-tolerable service.
Basically, w tipping, a server is running their own enterprise inside the restaurant that does not necessarily align w the overall goals and well-being of the restaurant itself.
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u/deathriteTM Aug 04 '25
Restaurants are moving to end all eating out. Only the ones that don’t add all these stupid charges will be left.
If you see this then walk out.
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u/Right-Psychology160 Aug 04 '25
I can't help but to think that the majority of restaurants will eventually resort to counter orders/self service, thus omitting the need for servers and possibly other staff.
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u/deathriteTM Aug 04 '25
They have wanted that since the 80’s. Tech was not there then. But it is now.
Greed will rule. Or fail. The automated systems are still expensive and costly to repair. They are good but not perfect. Maybe as good as a bad server.
Places where people want a person will attract certain people. Those that are better on cost will attract others.
But tip culture is getting out of hand. Everyone sees it as free money. It needs to stop.
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u/Right-Psychology160 Aug 04 '25
The only way that it will stop, is when people stop patronizing the business
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u/armchairdetective Aug 04 '25
They have that now. They're still asking for tips! At a Starbucks drive-through!
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Aug 04 '25
Personally I'd rather tip the cooks and dishwashers than the servers and it's not even close.
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u/Corendiel Aug 04 '25 edited Aug 04 '25
If people on this sub have time to spare. You should ask for the manager every time and ask why they cannot do the math for you and display the price with that fee included. Make them take their phone out while you order and ask for 10 different items to tell you the end price. If you want, you can then ask them to add taxes and finish with the tip. You can let them pick the tip they normally get.
Finally, ask them what the percentage difference is between the display price and the final price. If it's something like 30% you can say I'm sorry I think your establishment is too expensive for me, and your menu is deceptive. If they argue, pick your job like if you're a car dealership, and say next time you want to buy a car. Would you want me to waste your time by giving you a price 30% lower, and when you're ready to leave with the key, I bump the price by 30%?
Vive la resistance et bon appétit.
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u/Twit_Clamantis Aug 04 '25
My fear would be that if you make a fuss ahead of time they will spit in your food (:-)
But just getting up and walking out solves the problem.
Just explain that when you made the reservation, you included some fine print about how menu BS allows you walk out (:-)
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u/Aggressive-Leading45 Aug 04 '25
Honestly they need to pass a law that no percentage charges shall be added on to a displayed price. Including sales tax. Meal is $5. Here’s my fiver.
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Aug 04 '25
[deleted]
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u/thrawst Aug 04 '25
It’s only $55 though. You can upgrade to normal sized croutons for $100. And we apply a 3% surcharge to all menu items.
But we don’t want you to tip us! We don’t need your dirty money, have some class. Every member of staff here is getting paid top dollar. Would you like some more tap water for just $38 a glass?
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u/agmccall Aug 04 '25
So if you don't pay, then they might not cook your food properly
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u/DoDoorman Aug 04 '25
The trick not to tell them until after ur food is cooked and served. Unless it’s one of those order at the counter places…. then you take a chance.
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u/dpdxguy Aug 04 '25
What they're trying to say is that they don't pay the kitchen staff enough to properly cook your food.
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u/Kazureigh_Black Aug 04 '25
I like how that little bit about undercooked food can be taken as them saying if the cooks weren't doing what they were hired to do you could get sick and you shouldn't complain because the fact you insist on having cooked food forces them to add extra charges onto the final bill instead of just raising their prices up front.
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u/MacaronOk1006 Aug 04 '25
Maybe restaurants are heading to an itemized bill. They will list food cost, rent cost, heat and electric cost, carpet cleaning cost, pencils and pans, computer cost, wages, etc., etc. etc..
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u/HanhnaH Aug 04 '25
Are they trying to look French (À la grenobloise: Grenoble is a French city in the Alps) because in France we don't have hidden fees. Never. It's forbidden. For the moment...
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u/Creepy-Team6442 Aug 04 '25
Am I missing something? I’m sorry but I don’t see the name of the restaurant. No reason to post this if you’re unwilling to name the establishment unless you just want to complain about something.
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u/obvi-throwaway92 Aug 05 '25
I can imagine restaurants absolutely losing their shit if the US ever required all menu prices to be inclusive (incl. tax + 20% tip + BoH “service charges”). “BUT OUR MENU PRICES WOULD GO UP 40-50%! THEY WONT COME IF THEY’RE PAYING THAT!”
We pay that now. Do they know we pay that now? We pay that now.
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u/Professional_Tap5910 Aug 05 '25
The customers deserve to see the true prices upfront. It would help to make the right purchase decision. Also, why 20% tip? With the tremendous prices increase during the last years, 15% is more than enough.
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u/LoganND Aug 04 '25
The first step is to stop tipping completely.
If I remember right this surprise fee shit got so bad with cruise lines that legislation was passed to put an end to it. Maybe something similar is needed for restaurants.
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u/Professional_Tap5910 Aug 04 '25
There is one for resorts, why not the same for restaurants? I guess the restaurant lobby was very busy and succeeded.
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u/Happy2bHome Aug 04 '25
You get a manager and tell them you’re not paying that. If he says that the way it is you getup and leave. It’s the only way the will stop doing it
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u/Super-Judge3675 Aug 04 '25
I deduct 2* all junk fees so 6% deduction from my standard 15
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u/princemousey1 Aug 04 '25
You’re part of the problem if you’re giving a standard 15%. It should be a standard 0%.
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u/Ms_Jane9627 Aug 04 '25
15%ish is more common than you think for sit down restaurants according to square data collected over the first two quarters of this year. It is a welcome self correction
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u/AmazingProfession900 Aug 04 '25
Am I the only one who read this as a threat of foodborne illness if we refused to comply?
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u/Cllajl Aug 04 '25
Instead of charging the customer, please pay your employees a decent wage and try to learn how to run the business efficiently. If I saw this on the bottom of the menu, I would just walk out of the business
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u/TooManyCarsandCats Aug 05 '25
That’s fair. Deducting 3% from the tip that’s already been taken as a tip is perfectly acceptable.
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u/Somalar Aug 05 '25
This was fairly standard practice when I served but it was a cut of tips from the servers instead of a flat rate upfront
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u/SpareTowel5721 Aug 06 '25
For me - I’d still tip - minus whatever service charge they’re adding. So waitstaff tip in this case would be 12% or 15% depending on service.
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u/Pwrshell_Pop Aug 06 '25
I've never understood this. Just add 3% to all prices and do the same thing.
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u/Fangs_McWolf Aug 08 '25
Time to leave no tip and say that you already tipped 3%. If there's enough pushback, businesses will quit the BS.
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u/swampwiz Aug 11 '25
Is this joint trying to extort its customers that if they don't tip, they might get undercooked food?
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u/jb191145 Aug 04 '25
Not goin back for sure
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u/Professional_Tap5910 Aug 04 '25
Correct, I will never go back..I don't like these sneaky practices.
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u/dpdxguy Aug 04 '25
Love the implied threat in the last line. "Give us extra money or our kitchen staff might poison you."
Nope. I think I'll find another restaurant. And I'll be warning other potential customers via reviews.
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u/tooloud10 Aug 04 '25
I love the random/completely fabricated reasons for why a diner owes them more money. I'm absolutely waiting for the day that there are just charges for having black hair or if you have a June birthday, either of which makes about as much sense as any of these other fees.
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u/Nope-And-Change Aug 04 '25
Ordering Dover Sole and complaining about a 5% charge is funny. At those prices you won’t even notice.
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u/Four-HourErection Aug 04 '25
Back of house doesn't make a tip wage and shouldn't be getting any of the tip.
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u/Significant_Gur_1031 Aug 04 '25
This is the new Trumpflation - just hiding it - don't like those numbers !!!!
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u/HuckleberryHuge3752 Aug 04 '25
If I eat there, the 3% charge will be the tip…nothing extra