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A Reddit post has gone viral after sharing a receipt from a 'no tipping establishment.'
Tipping can be a point of contention for restaurant staff and patrons alike. But are “no-tipping establishments” the solution?
With 72% of Americans reporting that tipping is expected more now than it was five years ago, tipping culture and the idea of “tipping fatigue” have barely left public discourse.
Some netizens feel so passionately about the subject that they congregate on subreddits like r/EndTipping, which, truth be told, is pretty self-explanatory.
The subreddit’s description states that it is “advocating for a system where workers aren’t reliant on tips.” It then gives the example of “20% rolled into menu price.” However, based on the reaction to this Redditor’s post, it looks like not everyone is a fan of this system in practice.
What Happened At This Sushi Restaurant?
On the subreddit, this user posted an image of their Sugarfish By Sushi Nozawa receipt. The bill consisted of “Toro Tasting” for $34, a “Trust Me Light Lunch” for $24, a 16% fee of $9.28, and $6.56 tax charge. The receipt also says, “We are a no-tipping establishment.”
On the Sugarfish by Sushi Nozawa website, it says of the 16% fee, “This is not a gratuity or tip. We are a no-tipping establishment. The fee is revenue that is not segmented or designated in any way; it is taxed per state law and is used to fund all of our operations.”
“Look, a ‘no-tipping establishment!'” the Redditor remarked in the image accompanying the post. “How refreshing, right?”
However, other Reddit users didn’t exactly agree.
Not Everyone Liked The Idea
“16% fee?” one wrote. “F— off with that s—!”
“I still wouldn’t pay this,” a second said. “If their menu listed this charge, I’d walk right out.”
“I don’t understand their thinking,” a third complained. “Do they think the average customer is too dumb to notice 16% fee a mere 3 lines from the WE ARE A NO TIPPING ESTABLISHMENT disclaimer?”
Meanwhile, a fourth remarked, “I love how you can just open a business with arbitrary fees on top of the prices advertised, knowing full well no one will back out of the sale at the register. I’m not a huge fan of this type of law but that should straight up be illegal. federal-level what-you-see-is-what-you-pay would be perfect.”
Still, not everyone was against the idea. “As long as they are up front about it and arent soliciting an extra, I’d take that over the current s—show,” a fifth commented.
Similarly, a sixth admitted. “I much prefer a flat ‘service’ fee that’s disclosed than our current fluid tipping culture.”
BroBible reached out to the restaurant via email.
What’s With The Rise In ‘No Tip’ Restaurants?
In the restaurant industry, more establishments are adopting this business model. The primary aim seems to be to pay its staff a more sustainable wage. As reported by the BBC, Caroline Kraetzer, a server at La Cigale, makes $40 per hour. The restaurant has a set price of $140 per person and does not allow tips. Regarding this change, Kraetzer told the outlet that she’s glad she is “no longer reliant on the generosity of strangers to pay the bills.”
Working in a role that depends on tips is also a double-edged sword. This is because, according to Kraetzer, “you’re often there two hours before service, and again when you’re closing after the guests have left, so you are making minimum wage during that time.”
Additionally, Rachel Miller, owner of Nightshade Noodle Bar, told the BBC that it isn’t just servers that benefit. The kitchen staff stands to benefit too.
“The people breaking their backs and minds in the kitchen—often the least visible and the least celebrated—were taking home a fraction of what the front staff made on tips for the same hours,” she explained.
Miller also told the outlet that she noticed her white male staff being tipped higher than everyone else. This is something that, she says, she found “deeply unsettling.”
“Tipping lets guests, consciously or not, pay people differently based on gender, race, or sexuality and I was not willing to let that decide my team’s income,” she said.
However, this Reddit post and its reception suggest the underlying issue isn’t tips themselves. Rather, it is, arguably, people who simply resist paying more in any case.
BroBible reached out to the Redditor for comment.