Tipping in USA/Canada

In message mrtravel
wrote:

James Robinson wrote:

There are also some shady restaurant owners who demand a cut of the tip
revenue. Those are not common.


It seems only fare they recoup the credit card fees on the tip charges

How is one related to the other?

--
You can get more with a kind word and a 2x4 than just a kind word.

Dennis P. Harris wrote:

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +1100 in rec.travel.air, Qanset
wrote:


I'm going to cop a lot of flak on this subject, but never mind I have
and open mind on accepting advice on World Travel.


if you have an open mind, the usual gratuity for good service is
15 per cent of the tab. it does not apply in fast food places
where you take your own food to the table.

i understand it does not apply down under, but it does in the
americas and europe

In Europe people normally give 15 percent??? No way.

DevilsPGD wrote:

In message mrtravel
wrote:


James Robinson wrote:


There are also some shady restaurant owners who demand a cut of the tip
revenue. Those are not common.


It seems only fair they recoup the credit card fees on the tip charges


How is one related to the other?


If someone puts a tip on a credit card, the merchant has pay a fee for
this charge.

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:36:25 -0800, mrtravel
wrote:

James Robinson wrote:

There are also some shady restaurant owners who demand a cut of the tip
revenue. Those are not common.


It seems only fare they recoup the credit card fees on the tip charges

So many people sue credit cards in restaurants these days I would
assume the costs of the credit card fees are already included in
the price.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:07:36 -0800, mrtravel
wrote:

DevilsPGD wrote:

In message mrtravel
wrote:


James Robinson wrote:


There are also some shady restaurant owners who demand a cut of the tip
revenue. Those are not common.


It seems only fair they recoup the credit card fees on the tip charges


How is one related to the other?


If someone puts a tip on a credit card, the merchant has pay a fee for
this charge.

Since the cost of the meal is already on the card, the tip is
minor. But you make a fair, if small, point.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:06:14 -0800, mrtravel
wrote:

Dennis P. Harris wrote:

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +1100 in rec.travel.air, Qanset
wrote:


I'm going to cop a lot of flak on this subject, but never mind I have
and open mind on accepting advice on World Travel.


if you have an open mind, the usual gratuity for good service is
15 per cent of the tab. it does not apply in fast food places
where you take your own food to the table.

i understand it does not apply down under, but it does in the
americas and europe

In Europe people normally give 15 percent??? No way.

Please re-read subject line.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 23:09:50 -0900,
(Dennis P. Harris) mangled uncounted electrons thus:

snip

it's an unfortunate fact of life
that the american restaurant industry has refused to pay their
employees a living wage and expects them to live off tips, to the
point that it's actually the law and they will be taxed on tips
that the govt expects them to receive even if they don't.

That's the bit I find extraordinary! Can the worker reclaim any
overpaid tax at the end of the year, if they can demonstrate a
lower actual income than the amount on which they've been
charged? (Even with the rapacious tax regime in the UK, this is
possible.)

snip

Martin D. Pay
Thanks to everyone who's contributed to the information on 'cash
v. plastic'...

Martin D. Pay wrote:

(Dennis P. Harris) mangled uncounted electrons thus:

it's an unfortunate fact of life
that the american restaurant industry has refused to pay their
employees a living wage and expects them to live off tips, to the
point that it's actually the law and they will be taxed on tips
that the govt expects them to receive even if they don't.

That's the bit I find extraordinary! Can the worker reclaim any
overpaid tax at the end of the year, if they can demonstrate a
lower actual income than the amount on which they've been
charged? (Even with the rapacious tax regime in the UK, this is
possible.)

The tax authority (IRS) estimates what the person should receive in tips
based on the total sales of the restaurant, and tax returns filed by other
people in similar jobs. If the amount reported by someone varies
significantly from the estimates, the onus is on them to prove why they are
different than the trend. In many cases, they simply take the easiest
course and accept the IRS estimate.

"mrtravel" wrote in message
. ..
Dennis P. Harris wrote:

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:29:14 +1100 in rec.travel.air, Qanset
wrote:


I'm going to cop a lot of flak on this subject, but never mind I have and
open mind on accepting advice on World Travel.


if you have an open mind, the usual gratuity for good service is
15 per cent of the tab. it does not apply in fast food places
where you take your own food to the table.

i understand it does not apply down under, but it does in the
americas and europe

In Europe people normally give 15 percent??? No way.


The OP was planning a trip to the U.S. and Canada. (And in Europe, when
there is not a service charge added to the bill, it is customary to tip as
well. But each European country their customs may vary).

On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:49:44 +1100, Qanset wrote:


Not really, I try to be flexible when observing local customs, but I
will not be bullied into tipping, which I have seen happen.


Then as someone said, don't eat at places in which the employees
depend on tips to earn their living.

Do you always try to change everyone's customs when you travel?