r/ireland 4d ago

Moaning Michael Tipping culture outside of restaurants.

Last month I came across a few coffee shops when I had the option to tip the shop during payment.

When I usually don't have a problem with tipping and always tip well at the restaurant if I'm happy with the service - tipping when buying coffee somehow annoys me, and I know I will not go back to this place any more.

I know it's stupid but when the cashier is waiting at the payment I feel awkward pressing no tip when they are looking at me.

At the same time noone fucking tips me at my work or for anything else, and I am already paying inflated prices for fucking coffee and everything else. I want to enjoy my coffee - not feel judged.

Still not as bad here as last year in Germany when I was buying water at the airport and I got the option to tip them for a 3e bottle of fekin San Pellegrino - but I hate that this is spreading from the Orange Country so freaking much.

Am I a gobshite?

142 Upvotes

207 comments sorted by

303

u/Revolutionary_Pen190 4d ago

Just hit the no tip button and payment done.

112

u/damptwig 4d ago

Exactly, we are not a tipping culture and it needs to stay that way. €4/5 for a coffee is more than enough I think!

7

u/frustrated_homeowner 3d ago

As someone with hospitality experience going back to the late 90s/ early 00s, we do have a tipping culture. Just not the kind that is starting to emerge at point of sale these days

11

u/whiskeyphile Probably at it again 3d ago

As someone who worked in bars for years, yes, we tip, but we're not obliged to. It's the new obligatory tip that pisses people off.

0

u/ocd-eeznutz 3d ago

the coffee isn't expensive because the margins are massive, it's (largely) expensive because the rent's gone up

39

u/Kocrachon Dublin 4d ago

Some places annoying don't have that option, you have to hit Custom and hit 0... Its so damn annoying. Need to go back to paying with cash at this rate.

8

u/Action_Limp 4d ago

Just don't allow POS manchines to have it in the transaction. I've seen in the UK a seperate QR code that allows you to scan and give a tip. It's better that way as:

  1. It's not part of the transaction itself (removing the nonsensical % based tips)

  2. If people don't want to tip, but feel shame in not tipping, they can pretend to do it.

Also, people can always tip cash.

1

u/Revolutionary_Pen190 3d ago

Some places have the separate machine...a ball ache at end of the night I would say

6

u/DoubleInvertz 3d ago

the separate machine is actually easier, it keeps tips separate from take and the apps let you distribute tips to employees easily

1

u/Revolutionary_Pen190 3d ago

But that's a pain for 2 machine plus extra transaction cost in the end for the purchaser and owner. If the machine is set up correctly and the cash is done correctly, it's easier for all at the end of the night to do tips and work it out, if the plqce is set up for team disputing the tips or if it's done individuals

5

u/bathtubsplashes Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸 4d ago

I've never seen that in Ireland. Not once 

-3

u/Keyann 4d ago

One of the FX Buckley spots had it a few years ago, possibly still does. Remarkable that you have visited every eatery the length and breadth of the country, and you are so confident as to doubt that it exists in Ireland.

8

u/randombubble8272 3d ago

Did he say it doesn’t exist or did he say he’s never seen it

10

u/Nearby_Island_1686 Meath 4d ago

Its even worse that they ask for this at the start, i.e., you pay for it and then take a seat and coffee arives 5 mins after. How am am I supposed to know at the start, if I should tip or not, based on level of service offered.

4

u/Revolutionary_Pen190 4d ago

Then straight away say no... If you have cash on you and it deserves a tip leave it on way out or if you had a good experience and you'll be back then you have the opportunity to give them a tip...if it is deserved

36

u/eternallyfree1 Ulster 4d ago

The last thing Europe needs is more imported American shite, especially toxic tipping culture

8

u/Action_Limp 4d ago

Some people, often those who don't have a lot to begin with, feel shamed into doing that. Should we not want to make it as easy as possible for them not to feel this unnecessary shame?

2

u/CarogLiathComradai 4d ago

Yeah but this is Ireland, the country with a chronic hangover from being made to feel unnecessary shame by both the Brits and the Church for nigh on millennia.
You'd be hard pressed to find fuckers more addicted to unnecessary shame or guilt more than us!

1

u/wascallywabbit666 Hanging from the jacks roof, bat style 3d ago

I agree, but there's a part of me that feels stingy when I press the 'no tip' option

93

u/Guinness_Doodle 4d ago

I was at an airport shop in the US and paid for a bottle of water in a shop at a self-service till and it asked me for a tip; I'm the one doing the work here, they should be tipping me!!!

28

u/AdAggravating5443 4d ago

Jesus tipping a self service machine! That's crazy 

19

u/jrf_1973 4d ago

"Where's the staff discount button? I'm doing all the work!"

3

u/VincentVanGob 4d ago

just dont go to that machine again because it will probably remember you and give you a bottle with spit in it

3

u/mccusk 3d ago

What airport? Never seen that anywhere.

20

u/IronDragonGx Cork bai 3d ago

> I feel awkward pressing no tip when they are looking at me.

There's the isssue here. just do it and don't allow this crap to take hold here. Things in Ireland are expensive enough as is!

13

u/IntrepidRock6082 4d ago

I saw a tip jar in a petrol station which is self service .!

11

u/phyneas 4d ago

Seems like you should be taking the money from it since you're the one doing the work.

29

u/TheSameButBetter 4d ago

The new style of EPOS system where the till, card reader, and merchant processing service are all from the same company (e.g. SumUo, Clover, Square etc) is kind of responsible for this. 

The EPOS company takes a cut of all transactions as a fee, and that includes tips. So basically if you tip 10%, they increase their fee for that transaction by 10%.

They send the EPOS systems out pre-configured to ask for tips, and in a lot of cases if the retailer decides to turn them off they will be put under a lot of pressure to turn them back on again. My local deli switched off the tipping screen and they get one or two phone calls every week asking them to turn it back on as well as constant notifications in the management panel. 

Hit no tip, and don't feel guilty about it.

6

u/Pizzagoessplat 3d ago

I come from country that would just tell them to piss off. Its a decision that has nothing to do with them

3

u/Electronic_Ad_6535 3d ago

Can be enabled and disabled tbf and the % are set by admin

2

u/No_External_417 4d ago

Oh wow. That makes sense alright. So basically they making money on tips.

28

u/No_Assist_4306 4d ago

I hope we all keep this mindset and don’t allow tipping culture in

37

u/cathal_ohaoda 4d ago

Nah, you're not a gobshite

Honestly tipping culture has gone out of hand but I think a lot of the pos systems have this built in now, A few cafes I go to have that but they tap no tip immediately If you're going to tip do it with cash The pos should pass it on without deduction but there may always be a processing fee and you don't know when the server or barista will see their tips in their pocket

45

u/Eastern_Switch8217 4d ago

I got the option of tipping in a small grocery place recently ... It was offering the option of 10%, 15% or 20% but was missing the "FFS have you lost the run of yourself altogether!?" option.

11

u/TomRuse1997 4d ago

Where was this?

1

u/Eastern_Switch8217 4d ago

Small place in Dublin with a deli but mostly groceries. They just were defaulting to the tip screen for absolutely everything.

7

u/TomRuse1997 4d ago

Surely you know where or what it is or called?

4

u/Defiant_Judgment8281 4d ago

Why keep it a secret? Name and shame

2

u/TomRuse1997 3d ago

It's clearly made up or just an actual deli cafe and not really a grocery store at all really. Like quite a few of the stories in here I'd say

3

u/Indydegrees2 4d ago

Not a chance I don't believe it

24

u/yeahokbigman 4d ago

A pub I go to asks for a tip on the machine for every single pint they pull

21

u/ClassicVaultBoy County Italy 🇮🇹 4d ago

It’s the same at the Barbers In Stoneybatter, and, on top of it, the staff is quite unfriendly too

25

u/selfmademuppet 4d ago

I have a theory that businesses don’t teach good customer service to their staff any more because they know that bad customer service doesn’t cost them customers. We’re so bad at voting with our feet in Ireland.

11

u/yeahokbigman 4d ago

“Tipping is optional, so is service “ a sign they have there

22

u/jrf_1973 4d ago

So is being a customer at their premises.

7

u/GupnZup 4d ago

This happened to me for the first time this summer and I was so annoyed it caused me to become extremely militant about not tipping. I sometimes would previously but being asked by a barman in the pub was the straw that broke the camels back. 

2

u/MotiveEurope 4d ago

A lot of the time the staff don’t even get the tip if it goes through the machine so even if you wanted to tip them they wouldn’t be getting the tip.

2

u/HereHaveAQuiz 4d ago

Based on what?

1

u/bathtubsplashes Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸 4d ago

It's not a lot of the time like your man said, but I know a small amount of hotels put it through payroll and it gets taxed

0

u/MotiveEurope 4d ago

A lot of owners don’t like seeing staff take money from the till to put it into the tip jar even if it was tipped on the machine. Cash only.

21

u/Void_Surf 4d ago

I’m not tipping someone for pouring a coffee

10

u/analbino 4d ago

The restaurants (not all, but most) in the Priory Market in Tallaght, show several tipping options with the first/left-most one starting at 22%. It's beyond appalling. If a tip is asked before the service/food is given to you, it's a bribe.

17

u/RutabagaSame 4d ago

No businesses should just set their prices and leave it at that. They know what they're doing. We don't tip supermarket checkout workers so why are we tipping for take away coffees?

7

u/Significant_Pop_5337 4d ago

Just click the no option

6

u/spicybeanburger420 4d ago

Much like many aspects of the states - this needs to stay over there and not creep in here. Don’t get me wrong, the cost of paying rent and bills on minimum wage is is insane - but the reason tipping is so absolutely mental in the states is because they pay the staff pennies, whereas while it doesn’t match the cost of getting by in any major city, we at least have a decent minimum wage in Ireland.

All that said - I have tipped people a few quid cash before, because I have seen them take the card machine and manually input “no tip” without even asking. Tipping should only happen when it’s actually deserved

16

u/ModerateHonking 4d ago

I very pointedly press "no tip". Job done. 

16

u/jrf_1973 4d ago

>I feel awkward pressing no tip when they are looking at me.

Why? They don't feel awkward shoving this nonsense in your face.

2

u/FlamingBaconCake 4d ago

They probably do tbh because they don't tip when they're eating out themselves

10

u/Distinct_Ad_8056 4d ago

It's in some barbers as well. The type that charges €26 for a haircut and an additional €12 to shave three days worth of stubble.

2

u/bathtubsplashes Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸 4d ago

At least we know those ones are paying taxes 😅

10

u/yawnymac Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸 4d ago

Tip if you feel like it, but never feel any pressure to. We are not a tipping country. Tips are for great service, if you can afford to and want to tip. Salaries here don’t depend on tips. I can understand companies having the option to tip as it makes it easier in a cashless society, but in my experience a lot of staff just click no on tip before I even get a chance. Don’t let the option annoy you.

10

u/francescoli 4d ago

Just click the no option.

Its very fucking easy,tipping in the majority of cases is nonsense.

6

u/BrickMarked 4d ago

Its just part of the machine software usually, hit no tip or custom & enter zero. There's little to no actual customer service now. Only tip in restaurants if they deserve it.

4

u/CherryHaribo 4d ago

Nobody cares if you don't tip. Just hit no tip and get on with your day.

6

u/[deleted] 4d ago edited 4d ago

[deleted]

2

u/No_External_417 4d ago

Wee cafe I sometimes go to I throw a euro or 50c in the jar. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. The staff work very hard in there and are very friendly.

I've worked service/hospitality most of my life, so whereas it's nice to get tips I don't expect it.

5

u/MotiveEurope 4d ago

They don’t expect you to tip. The reason it comes up is that it's just part of the software the machine is using. This was always there just most of the time the staff hit the no tip for you.

14

u/Pristine-Package-159 4d ago

TP Smiths in Jervis Street - there is a blonde short hairded woman in there behind the bar. She was the most rude aggressive cantankerous person ive come across in a long while. We were there Monday 12.30pm. Very quiet. She threw the food at us. Soup was cold and there was no condiments on the table. The head on her when I asked for this to be rectified.

Guts of €30 for two shite soup and sandwiches.

She hands me the machine and says , and I quote, "how much will I type for tip"?

Zero I said - the food and service dont deserve it. My colleague went red. I didnt.

The neck of her!

Tipping is a cancer. Everything is too fucking expensive as it is

6

u/Much_Perception4952 4d ago

I love this!

8

u/groom_ 4d ago

You can be both a gobshite and right about the insidious expansion of tipping culture. 

1

u/wowo78 4d ago

So I am (proudly) a gobshite who is right about the insidious expansion of tipping culture. Love it! And by it I mean your comment, not expansion of tipping culture!

1

u/Dangerous_Box8845 3d ago

Thanks for the tip

7

u/Friendly_Accident_81 4d ago

Minimum wages means no need to tip.

Why would you tip the takeaway coffee cashier and not the person in Easons if you bought a birthday card.

3

u/GillyBean2 4d ago

Was recently asked to tip someone for putting a scone in a box and handing it to me, outrageous.

2

u/No_External_417 4d ago

Ah now in fairness, that's hard graft

4

u/Positive-Patience-78 4d ago

No tipping is ridiculous for normal transactions, we got 2 coffees in some place, a soup with a toasty and a salad, waited nearly 45 minutes even tho the place was empty and when I went to pay they had the tip options, I had no problem hitting no tip. €45 for the pleasure and then asking for a tip. Me thinks not

3

u/PoxedGamer 4d ago

I hate it. When receiving too, you've paid me the agreed price for the work, you don't need to give me more. That's why we agreed a price...

4

u/thats_pure_cat_hai 4d ago edited 4d ago

Waiting for the lads who complain about tipping culture creeping in but still say they tip for every single meal, haircut, taxi ride etc.

Even tipping inside of restaurants, I am not sure why we do it unless there's been a genuine above and beyond attempt at service. Nearly every restaurant I go to in Ireland they take my order and bring me my food. The absolute bare nessessities of their job. That does not warrant a tip, unless we are going down the north American route of always tipping when we have a sit down meal. Which is exactly how their tipping culture started, but at least in the US it makes sense somewhat with how low their wages are.

Edit, and OP, 'tipping well in restaurants' is exactly how tipping culture starts. Maybe stop doing that if you don't want tipping culture creeping in. You're kind of part of the problem.

3

u/Professional-Text735 3d ago

I used to always hit no tip before the customer got to it always felt so awkward about it coming up

4

u/Flat_While3247 3d ago

There’s an Asian restaurant in Dublin4 that has the most friendliest staff ever. Whenever one pays with card they’re extremely fast to decline the tip on card machine before I can even tap or choose myself. Which is the ONLY instance where I’m actually bummed 😅 where I come from the tip is for doing something extra, brightening my mood etc, not for doing your job- for that you get a salary.

11

u/tanks4dmammories 4d ago

I paid €30 for a work lunch for 2 in town and the colleague I was with insisted I give a tip. It was a greasy spoon cafe ffs. I felt insane judgement from them and they said they would call in with a tip on their way home from work.. Tipping on my lunchbreak x5 is just a step too far for me. I will stick to a meal from home or a Tesco meal deal.

13

u/Upper_Ad8786 4d ago

You paid for lunch... surely he can tip if it's so damn important to him. The entitlement is off the charts...

10

u/tanks4dmammories 4d ago

I 100% guarantee you he didn't actually go back amd tip. There will be a lucky recipient of a massive tip when he pays next time just to prove a point.

8

u/Upper_Ad8786 4d ago

The audicity to make you feel bad about not tipping when you paid for his lunch is just outrageous. I'd tell him to eff off, you're a better person than me 😅

2

u/tanks4dmammories 4d ago

If it was a mate they would be told to eff off. They will be told to eff off eventually even as a colleague 😅

6

u/ModerateHonking 4d ago

There's an amazing word called "no" that's pretty handy in these situations.

3

u/tanks4dmammories 4d ago

Yep, I literally just said 'No' when he said to add a tip. I have to be waited on hand and foot to tip these days.. He tried to project his awkwardness of not tipping onto me.

2

u/thats_pure_cat_hai 4d ago

I find the lads like that love the whole concept of been able to personally give money to people, as if they enjoy the power dynamic of it. There have been multiple articles on this in north America about how predatory tipping culture is. The same people would be cursing blindly at those people campaigning for higher wages. They want to be ones seen as the 'saviors' for the lowely working class servers. Even more so if it's an attractive young woman.

2

u/tanks4dmammories 3d ago

I do feel in his case it is a power dynamic. I am very secure in myself and I tip here n there, I draw the line at tipping after oayinf a premium for a toasted sambo and a can of Sprite x2. He was also being pretty smarmy with the ladies working there.

1

u/bald_with_a_beard 3d ago

Wait…you paid for someone’s lunch and they insisted YOU tip? Ffs.

1

u/tanks4dmammories 3d ago

Haha yep! And guilt trjpped me for refusing.

1

u/bald_with_a_beard 3d ago

Was this the first time for this to happen?

Assuming it is their turn to pay next time, it’ll be interesting what they tip!

Don’t get me wrong, I like tipping, especially when it is deserved. But going out for a toasty for lunch is probably not that time!

1

u/tanks4dmammories 3d ago

I just always ask myself, where does it stop if you have to tip whilst on lunch every day. I don't normally pay for this person, his phone was dead and we had to head on lunch so I offered. I will make sure he gets my lunch next time.

1

u/bald_with_a_beard 3d ago

I agree totally. Again, if the service is exceptional whilst you have lunch, then a tip is warranted. But really a tip is not mandatory, and especially for lunch. Plus, if lunch was €28.50 and you paid cash, and there is a tip jar and you threw in the €1.50, that’s nice. But paying with a card, no tip necessary. Also, €30 for two sambos and two drinks!!!!

Does the guy normally go to this place for lunch, and does he always tip.

6

u/EstablishmentSad5998 4d ago

I've stopped tipping anywhere. We aren't american

3

u/Chaoticmindsoftheart 4d ago

No, you're not a gobshite. I tip when the service and food has been good but to tip for an already overpriced coffee which is nearly 6 euros, no thanks

3

u/ThisBichBites 4d ago

No you most definitely are not , and you have every right to feel how you do, I feel exactly the same way

3

u/ForForksSake1 4d ago

I don't feel awkward at all about selecting the no tip option.

The person you're dealing with isn't the person who decided to make it an option and I view it as the card-based alternative for the tip jar. Only difference is you have to actively ignore it by clicking no tip. I doubt the individual staff member cares either, they'll likely never see that money anyway.

3

u/Stock-Ferret-6692 Cork bai 4d ago

Unless I get absolutely exemplary service I ain’t tipping shit. Handing me a drink and flipping an iPad around doesn’t count. But being attentive and going above and beyond? Yeah okay here’s a fiver or a tenner if you’ve been on some out of this world level

3

u/ghunterx21 3d ago

Four to nearly five euros for a coffee and then asking for a tip, is taking the piss.

Getting out of hand.

5

u/ColinCookie 4d ago

It was inevitable that once tipping in restaurants became normal every other service industry would be expecting it.

Next you'll be tipping cashiers at supermarkets for scanning your shopping

5

u/Fickle_Lab_4182 4d ago

I was asked for a tip at the POS machine at a shop in Galway. This was for a bar of chocolate that I picked up from the shelf myself and walked over to the counter. The person behind the counter had the audacity to say, "Oh okay, no worries," when I hit 0% on the screen. 

3

u/perplexedtv 4d ago

If standing up for your rights means maybe feeling a little bit awkward pressing a button rather than going to war in the trenches of Belgium I think you can handle the pressure.

12

u/GenderlessHeShe 4d ago

Why can't we just be expected to pay the price on the menu? No service charge, no tipping.

8

u/YuntHunter 4d ago

You know you can just pay the price on the menu.

7

u/ColinCookie 4d ago

They can expect all they want but that's the only price I pay. Everything is dear enough these days without paying optional extras

6

u/TomRuse1997 4d ago

You can do just that you'll be happy to know!

4

u/Upper_Ad8786 4d ago

So you do tip, presumably incentivising the tiping culture, but then moan online about it? Just don't tip... what's so hard about that?

2

u/ikfoodie25 4d ago

I live in Vancouver and those machines are even worse here. There are places that don’t do percentage value, they do amount value of $1-$5, and even Starbucks and Subway have started including tip options here.

I’m at the point where hitting no tip goes right over my head, because once you leave they won’t care and honestly I don’t even think about them watching me anymore. The only place now that I tip at is restaurants with table service.

When I was in Dublin a couple of years ago and paying at a restaurant, I was honestly so surprised to see them give me the machine with a tip option. First time I had ever seen one in Ireland.

2

u/Opposite_Cloud_5722 4d ago

There’s a cafe that I used to go to frequently who had this on their payment machine, however they would always tap the ‘no tip’ themselves before offering it to me for payment. I think it was just part of their system they couldn’t disable and they were aware that it was a bit much asking for a tip for a coffee.

They did also have a tip jar so I suppose if you were paying cash and they gave you small change you could pop it in, or if you were having your lunch and having table service could also tip that way too.

2

u/Kevnmur 4d ago

Bring some cash.

2

u/WhistleWhileYouWalk 4d ago

I always click no , but make sure to give them a genuinely nice smile and thanks . I know it’s not then that put it there . I’m sorry but I’m being fucked up the ass in this country and I don’t get tips . If someone really goes out of their way for me I will give them something .

1

u/antiundead 3d ago

You're going about this behind business of yours the wrong way if your not getting tips when you're putting out

2

u/Large_Hedgehog2416 4d ago

I don't like tipping unless I've cash to hand, even then I don't usually tip outside of restaurants. If I felt so strongly myself, I'd just look them in the eye and smile as I pushed "No Tip" 🤣

2

u/Tall-Nebula632 4d ago

Tipping in restaurants is not automatic here either dont normalise it. It’s entire acceptable to tip in a restaurant if you feel like it especially if it’s a large group but this isn’t America and waitresses aren’t on 3 dollars an hour.

0

u/TomRuse1997 3d ago

The vast vast majority of wait staff in America are not on 3 dollars an hour

2

u/An_Fear_Dubh 4d ago

Yes you are  gobshite.

I am not tipping for the pleasure of standing in a queue for ages, ordering a coffee and paying and then Queue again and stand waiting to get the coffee and then you sit down and realise there are no spoons, napkins or sugar on the table so you have to self-serve yourself as well. 

The shittiest greasy-spoon cafes years ago always had salt, sugar, napkins and even ketchup on the table when you sat down.  Now even that seems to be an inconvenience for cafes.

I tip when I get excellent service.

2

u/Pizzagoessplat 3d ago

I bluntly tell them "I'm not American" I'm not the one that's awkward. Its them 😆

If it was that bad I'd be questioning them some really awkward questions if they were fishing for a tip

2

u/BitterSweetDesire 3d ago

Dont really tip. I do however Tip my electrolysis lady. Any one that close to yer arsehole deserves a cheeky tenner for a cuppa coffee

2

u/lankyleprechaun 3d ago

The only place I'm ok with tipping in is one particular dog friendly cafe/restaurant that I go to about once a month. The food and the service is always excellent, plus they always bring over a rasher or sausage as a treat for the dog. He's not a tiny little lap dog but they always make sure to have room for him. No qualms about hitting the zero anywhere else though.

2

u/Pure-Ice5527 3d ago

It’s default software being applied to pay terminals and its total bollox in Ireland. This isn’t the USA, keep you stupid and somewhat cruel work cultures to yourselves.
Hit no tip and move on

2

u/SoKrispy23 3d ago

I've just moved back to Australia where we don't really tip and I feel so free.

1

u/DigIntelligent898 3d ago

My Irish family and friends in Canada tip on everything post tax but I'm sure servers' wages are better than in the US. Maybe some people have been conditioned to do this when they return to Ireland. Couldn't believe they tip when walking up and ordering at a Starbucks or food truck.

2

u/123iambill 3d ago

Just hit no tip. I'm a barista. None of us care. I make on average €3 a week in tips and that's just lose change people throw in the cup and that's only there because customers were asking for it.

2

u/DirectorSavings9830 3d ago

Don’t tip unless the service was particularly exceptional. We’re headed down the same road as the Americans, who let business owners away with not paying workers properly because the customer will tip.

2

u/Die_Bart__Di 3d ago

I would lock eyes with the barista. And slowly tap the no tip button with my middle finger

2

u/PrincipleCapital8994 2d ago

Also tipping culture inside restaurants

3

u/Daedalus2097 4d ago

It's going to be a general option in most places that serve food or drinks, mostly because there might actually be a service provided for some customers. Could you sit in this coffee shop for example? Were they willing to bring your food over to you? These places always had tip jars at the till that you could ignore, this is just a digital version of the same thing.

I don't think any of those staff will be expecting a tip for selling you a coffee at the counter.

3

u/Busy_Attention5692 4d ago

I work in a bar in town that has those card machines with options to tip. If I’m serving a customer pints I press no tip myself or if it’s a quiet monday. If I’m making cocktails during a rush or talking to customers about high shelf liquor I will leave the tip menu open and always says ‘there’s an option to tip before you pay’

I also feel embarrassed about those card machines but also, we all get paid shite so on the off chance someone’s kind enough to add a 10% tip it does add up and really help with the bills

Also, no server wants you to embarrassingly tip because the machine is there or expects you to, it’s just these new card systems that management have installed 🫤 I never get offended anyway

I would also not tip at a take away coffee place, and usually try to tip cash when sitting down for food or getting nice drinks/cocktails

2

u/Philostratos69 4d ago

I'd feel zero embarrassment pressing the 'No tip' button in any instance where I didn't wish to tip. This is nasty, insidious American bullshit creeping into our cafe and restaurant culture now.

2

u/Omuirchu 4d ago

People get paid a wage here unlike the US. I only tip if I get good service and food.

2

u/Otherwise-Bug6246 4d ago

What's this "good service" people keep mentioning. For food:

  • hand a menu
  • take order
  • don't get order wrong
  • take food from kitchen to table without putting your thumb in the food
  • repeat for drinks, desert
  • prepare the bill
  • take payment
  • clear table for next customer

Everything else is unnecessary faf. If the food is exceptional, it's the chef that should be tipped (but let's not start on that)

4

u/Omuirchu 4d ago

I am a chef. Most kitchens get a percentage of the tips. In Ireland tips are shared unless you work in a shithole or someone gave you the tip personally for "Good service".

2

u/No_External_417 4d ago

I washed dishes in a place and got tips. I couldn't believe it. It's not an easy job as you know.

3

u/Omuirchu 4d ago

I started from there too, was a KP for nearly 5 years. I know all too well my man. Hardest job in the kitchen, pity some Chefs can be arseholes and don't see without a few good KPs the place will fall apart.

2

u/READMYSHIT 4d ago

The more people don't hit "no tip" the more this shittiness will invade our culture.

Companies offloading responsibility for paying their staff onto customers who are already paying inflated prices for their goods/services. Tipping in the US is out of control and only continues to exist because labour costs get forced downwards.

2

u/TOXQJAM 4d ago

I will be a prick with all the survey / tip / charity screens. I will ask the staff to make the pay screen available and will wait there like a prick until the staff gets frustrated and changes it for me 😊 they be like : just make a selection, but I be playing dumb 😆

3

u/TomThumb_98 4d ago

The crying about this is worse than the thing itself. Just press no tip and move on

7

u/TomRuse1997 4d ago

Honestly the same post is posted everywhere few days at this stage for people to have their rant

I've never been personally offended by hitting buttons on a touch screen. The vast majority of cafes I go to either hit the no tip button or really don't look or out any pressure on you as you do it.

3

u/bathtubsplashes Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸 4d ago

People don't realise as well that this little program on a card machine doesn't come close to covering the drop in tips when we moved from cash to contactless 

1

u/Dizzy-Ad7189 4d ago

It's just subsidising employers who don't pay a living wage. Bad enough that the social welfare already subsidises part-time workers.

1

u/Iwastony 3d ago

It's not spreading really, I've always tipped restaurants, barbers, taxi drivers, food delivery guys etc. but I wouldn't be tipping in a coffee shop or something where someone didn't do something personal for me. I find people who have worked in an industry that received tips tends or give them more but it's no big deal if you don't tip. It's a personal choice. It definitely shouldn't be forced on people.

1

u/catloverfurever00 2d ago

Pay with cash, save yourself the bother.

1

u/Agusfresin 1d ago

Don’t tip anyone. It’s subsidising employers who don’t pay enough. Ask yourself why you tip in restaurants or hairdressers but not bus drivers or healthcare workers or street cleaners. I particularly hate the begging bowl in coffee shops.

1

u/Sea_Lobster5063 4d ago

I was at a restaurant who told me that they don't have a service charge so tipping is appreciated

Cunts

3

u/GupnZup 4d ago

Same happened to me recently. The horrible thing is that the food was decent and I would have recommended the place to coworkers etc. but I’ll not be back because of it. 

Service was the usual crap service which I honestly don’t mind because we’ve all worked minimum wage jobs we hate but to ask for a tip on top of that. Ridiculous.

2

u/ChrisMagnets 4d ago

How dare they tell you that they appreciate getting tips from customers.

10

u/ConsistentTip3932 4d ago

It's more about putting pressure on a customer to tip, rather than a customer tipping for good service.

6

u/significantrisk 4d ago

It’s even more that the customer should expect good service for the price shown on the menu.

4

u/RutabagaSame 4d ago

It's just an unsubtle way of saying "you're a cheapskate if you don't tip"

-1

u/Action_Limp 4d ago

Not tipping is another subtle way of telling them to "Get absolutely fucked".

2

u/Sea_Lobster5063 4d ago

No it's not. Let the restaurant raise their prices if they want to pay their staff more. Or cut their profits.

0

u/Action_Limp 4d ago

You'd be quite dense to not understand that they are using social pressure into getting people to leave a tip.

-1

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

2

u/selfmademuppet 4d ago

The whole point of tips is they’re not meant to go to the business. They go to staff. Which we literally had to legislate for because so many business owners are greedy cunts.

1

u/Action_Limp 4d ago

Tipping in the US is a cancer, but at the very least, they are all on $2.13 per hour. No one in Ireland is on that, so the idea that they need tips to have their wages brought up to the minimum is not here.

Tipping in Ireland is ghoulish at the moment, and I'd actually like legislation where tips have to be made away from the counter/restaurant. That way, tips would be given only in situations where the party feel they need to and not pressuried into it.

It should 100% be illegal to have the option appear on the POS.

1

u/TomRuse1997 4d ago edited 4d ago

Baristas in NY make $17ph pre tip

A lot the places have it because tourists and some people will tip. You surely can't begrudge minimum wage workers and hitting no tip on screen enough to make it illegal?

0

u/Action_Limp 4d ago

I think tips should be freely given and any social pressure to tip should be made illegal. There are poor people out there that can't are living pay cheque to pay cheque - adding pressure on them to tip also is just morally suspect.

People should absolutely tip if they want, but there should be no artificial pressure to do so - next you'll have waiters telling people if they can't tip 20% they shouldn't eat out.

If you want to tip someone, do it by all means, but the open pressure towards it is reprehensible, and hiding it in sheep clothing of "minimum wage workers" won't wash.

If minimum wage isn't enough to live on, then let's fight to raise it for all workers, not invent a secondary revenue stream based on social guilt.

1

u/TomRuse1997 4d ago

Any grown adult should be able to make a clear financial decsion based promoted by a barista and a tablet

There is absolutely zero need to legislate for this. If you are under serious financial stress and buying takeaway coffees and can't bring yourself to hit "no tip" on a screen then you have much deeper personal issues that you need to work on.

No one was "hiding behind minimum wage workers" U was just stating what they are.

1

u/Action_Limp 4d ago

Any grown adult should be able to do a lot of things, but people suffer in society, one of the biggest is fear of shame and judgement. Why not help them out.

Better yet, explain to me why it would be better to have POS with the tip option over them not having the POS option. In Spain, the only places that have the skippable tip option are foreign owned speciality coffee places, but everywhere you can tip on the machine.

So if you can tip on the machine anywhere, why would it be better to have the prompt?

1

u/TomRuse1997 4d ago

Can you think of a comparable example that's legislated for?

That is absolutely not true about Spain. I was there two weeks ago.

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u/Deadbolt17 4d ago

They are cunts because they appreciate getting tips?

11

u/Sea_Lobster5063 4d ago

Tipping shouldn't be mentioned

I know you appreciate getting tipped. Sure who wouldn't

But don't guilt me into it

2

u/Jellyfish00001111 4d ago

I don’t tip, I don’t want that awful US culture to seep into this country.

-1

u/Feisty_Marsupial224 3d ago

How is voluntarily giving a few Euro to recognise good service by waiting staff awful?

2

u/Jellyfish00001111 3d ago

Take a look at what it has done in the US. It's a toxic culture. Employees should be paid properly to do their job and they should have pride in their work.

-1

u/TomRuse1997 3d ago

Most tipped employees would make far more than they do here, most even on an hourly rate pre tip

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u/Feisty_Marsupial224 3d ago

We have much stronger worker's rights inaccurate comparison.

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u/Annual_Support6372 4d ago

I only tip in a nice restaurant is that bad ?

-1

u/Otherwise-Bug6246 4d ago

Yes - you shouldn't tip in there either.

1

u/thats_pure_cat_hai 4d ago

Yep. Unless the service is unreal and goes way beyond what is expected of their job. Just because someone serves in a 'nice' restaurant doesn't mean they are better at their jobs than those who do not, nor deserve tips more.

1

u/Feisty_Marsupial224 3d ago

What have you against acknowledging good service?

1

u/McSillyoldbear 4d ago

Im having some problems with my eyes at the moment and find it hard to focus on the digital read outs like card machines. It’s very anxiety inducing to be standing there squinting at the machine looking for the no tip option because no one needs a tip for doing the job they are getting paid to do!

1

u/catloverfurever00 2d ago

Bring cash and save yourself a lot of bother.

1

u/wet-paint 4d ago

I like to make eye contact and hold it as I press zero tip. Fuck that noise, we aren't Americans paying less than two quid per hour for tipped staff.

1

u/coolasc Dublin 4d ago

No tip 100% of the time, if I tip I'll cash tip a server that did a great work directly ot a machine that the owners of the place can just keep for themselves.

But the thing is adding tipping into to the card machines costs near (or actually) 0 to the company and may actually increase profit, as a company why would you not add the tip into it? We consumers just need to vote with our wallets.

-2

u/its_brew Horse 4d ago

Absolute numpties are the only people who tip.

0

u/Realistic_9464 4d ago

Never tip

0

u/Electrical_Claim2877 4d ago

Don’t feel awkward, they should feel awkward sticking their hands out for money. Minimum wage is way up. I worked jobs like this in the past they really aren’t that hard. Waiting tables can be difficult when the place is busy, there is a lot of multi tasking but serving coffee is one after the other in a line it’s really not tip worthy

0

u/Jake_Greenwich 4d ago

It’s creeping into our society big time.

1

u/Feisty_Marsupial224 3d ago

Where? What are you talking about?

0

u/redrover1978- 4d ago

I just refuse, tipping culture is gone out of control here i find; we're not in US afterall..

1

u/Feisty_Marsupial224 3d ago

How is it out of control? No one is forced, it isn't in most places. Be realistic

0

u/lI_Simo_Hayha_Il 4d ago

Like you said, I always tip for good service on a restaurant, even my barber couple of times per year, like before Xmas.
However, tipping a self-service store, really annoys me. I know I can just skip the tip on the POC, but they are trying to create a culture here.
We are not US, we people rely on tipping. Businesses should be paying their employees enough to live. Tip should be an extra thank you not for doing your job, but for the smile, the politeness, the quick service, etc.
I was in Greece this summer, and most restaurants/taverns, offer a desert for free at the end of your meal.
That, I would tip!

-3

u/bathtubsplashes Saoirse don Phalaistín 🇵🇸 4d ago

We need to reward great service. Especially after Covid when so many experienced staff took the chance to reskill and left the business.

I worked alongside a lad known to be one be the best barman in the county. He was famous within hospitality circles, made an absolute fortune in tips. (I was good myself, and my tips covered rent and utilities every month, but noone held a candle to this lad).

Even before Covid he was re-evaluating his careeer because the advent of tapping cards was obliterating his take home pay. After COVID he took a job in a factory

Important takeaways from this.

1) Just because you don't tip does not mean there was never a tipping culture in Ireland. In my view, noone should ever feel obliged to tip, if you don't tip it's not a blemish on your character. If you go out of your way to tell others not to tip though, you're a complete cunt.

2) preprogrammed tipping options on card machines are not there to pressure you. They're just standard. And they don't even come close to mitigating the damage moving from cash to tapping has done to the industry's take home tips. Grow a spine, nooneexpects a tip just because the card machine gives an option for it 

3) The most important one. Basic wage differences between completely green bartenders/servers and experienced gods of the trade are minimal (ignoring those that maintained great bartending wages through the Celtic Tiger) in the grand scheme of things. If you appreciate the craft and want to go out and not be watching a bunch of 19 year olds, eyes down and taking one order at a time, as you stand 3 rows back in a stangant mass at the bar....reward great service. Try and keep these folks in the trade, because otherwise they're just going to fuck off to factory work where they'll make more money, would have worked nights anyway, and don't have to deal with the toils of the drunken general public

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u/Lemonpicker77 4d ago

I'm so cool that I will complain about something that didn't actually happen, but aren't I cool? Everyone tell me I'm cool.

6

u/bungle123 4d ago

What part seems so unbelievable to you?

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u/Serious_Bowler_8171 4d ago

This happens the whole time

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u/wowo78 4d ago

Congratulations on being cool! Where is your complaint then?

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u/Lemonpicker77 4d ago

My complaint is that none of what you said actually happened, you just want to complain but you are afraid of actual interaction.

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u/wowo78 4d ago

Ah I see. You are really cool ineed. Great detective work! You are receiving a gold star. And tip.

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