Question about that talk with my cousin that made me rethink tipping culture

So last weekend my cousin Sarah came over for dinner and she works as a server at a place in Austin. She was telling me how she actually prefers the old system where tips were based on total bill amount before tax, not after. I always thought it was fine tipping 20% on the final total but she broke down how a $2 difference on a $40 meal adds up over a shift. She said some people tip less because they see a higher number and get turned off. That hit different for me because I never thought about how the psychology of it affects her take-home pay. I've been tipping on the pre-tax amount ever since and my total is barely different but she says it matters. Has anyone else had a server explain something similar to them?

2 comments

2 Comments

terry_thomas1mo agoTop Commenter

Hold up, isn't tipping on the pre-tax amount actually the right way to do it anyway? I thought the whole point was that you tip on the service and food, not the tax the government takes. Sarah's point about the psychology makes total sense though. People see $48 on the check and their brain rounds up, so they tip less than they would on $40. A couple bucks per table adds up fast over a busy night.

carr.brooke1mo ago

Yeah the psychology part is wild..." Reminds me of this one time I went to a diner with my uncle who's an accountant. He always tips on the pre-tax amount but then he'll add a couple extra dollars if the server refills his coffee without asking. Said it's like a reward for being proactive or something. I still just do 20% on the total cause math is hard enough for me but I get how those little habits mess with people's heads.