Much has been written elsewhere about tipping and how it has gotten out of hand — but at the Old Spaghetti Factory in St. Louis, it really has gone off the deep end. Instead of options for the typical 15%, 18%, and 20% tips, its payment system offers options for 22%, 20%, and 18% (in that order!), plus the outrageous 30% and 40%. Who leaves a 40% tip?!
The fine print says: “Did you receive elevated service? Add a super tip!” It reinforces that a 20% baseline tip has become expected and if you receive what used to be considered elevated service for your waiter to earn that, you need to double it today.
Ironically, there is a button on the app for a “custom tip,” so if you were feeling uber-generous you could leave the excessive amount, so there is no need to make people feel like cheapskates with the 30% and 40% options. If you’re in a business that has tipping, here’s a tip for you: Keep your choices grounded in reality and pay your employees well enough so that they aren’t dependent on delusional tippers to make a living wage.
Thanks, Meg!
