wages in the USA need a ~50 or 100% increase in most places. Yet the only increase that most workers have seen recently has been an increase to tipping. The amount of places that ask for tips has easily doubled in the last 2 years. There is tipping everywhere now and while I want workers to get more money, I am also a worker. 20% extra on a large amount of purchases I make is pretty rough. Should I tip workers who get paid more than I do? Should I tip while unemployed? Its confusing and awkward to make the decision to tip or not.
It'd be nice to just commit to something clear. What do y'all do?
I tend to tip around 20% (rounded up if cash). If it's counter service or an establishment I know pays it's employees a regular wage I tip a little lower. I make $3 an hour above minimum wage in my city and most tipped workers here make more than I do in a year.
IMO we should stop tipping completely in places that have a tip credit. That's just customers directly subsidizing the employer's labor costs and the data shows eliminating the tip credit is good for tipped workers. For some reason they tend to be very defensive about tips though.