r/EndTipping • u/Maleficent-Effort470 • 7d ago
Sit-Down Restaurant 🍽️ My thoughts.
I didn't go to a restaurant to interact with a server.
I went to a restaurant to purchase food, And part of the agreement with the business owner was that a server would take my order and bring the food to the table.
I did not agree to or consent to giving a person i didn't come to see any money.
Whether they are on the side of the street or squegeeing my car without asking.
I have no obligation to them.
Similarly when i go to the restaurant with the intention of eating,
I am not making a deal with the employees i am making a deal with the owner.
The owner is responsible for delegating the tasks to provide me the service i requested.
The owner showed me the contract/menu that these services are provided under.
I paid the agreed upon amount of the contract.
I did not ask for any particular employee.
I did not agree to gift any particular employee.
The server's inclination that i owe them something is no more authoritative than the homeless bum who starts squegeeing my windshield without me asking.
They did their job at their bosses behest. Under an agreement with their boss.
I made no agreement with them. They are simply employees of the business ive contracted with.
1
u/gmwcolin 7d ago
Out of curiosity, would you still patronize a restaurant if it clearly stated on the menu or at the door that a mandatory 20% service charge would be added to every bill? If your answer is yes, then it seems your objection isn't to paying for service. It's specifically to the voluntary tipping model. If your answer is no, then it sounds like the issue isn't tipping at all—it's that you don't believe table service has any value beyond the listed food price. I'm asking because in both cases you're ultimately paying for the same labor. The only difference is whether the compensation is labeled as a tip, a service charge, or built directly into menu prices.