Tipping problem in LAX TBIT Lounge [is back]

[blackcat20]

A lot of the new 'cool' bars/restaurants in Australia now have this as an option on their cc/eftpos.

it's come about as a result of no more signatures for credit cards. Previously they could swipe your card and you'd fill in the tip on the docket and sign. But now because they need a PIN you get handed the machine when they want a response in regards to a tip.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hi All,

I'm a little bit late to this party, but the QF lounge tipping scam is starting to make its way into some of the blogosphere here.

<snip for space>

Welcome to AFF American Dude . A very nice summary and discussion. The only flaw I see in your argument is that if workers at the QF LAX lounge don't get tips to the extent they want or need, and there is high staff turnover and consequently a deterioration in service provided, I don't think QF will be inclined to pay their staff more as a result. I think they'll see their lounges as premium offerings (and they are) and if 'customers' wish to lounge elsewhere, that's their 'right' .

 

[JohnK]

I was in Sydney for our Xmas party and at the end of the night when I went to pay the guy who served us the whole evening gave me the bill. Once I said I will pay on my credit card, he entered the price on the machine and then gave me the terminal to enter a tip. He even went further and explained that if I liked his service then I should enter an amount as a tip as most people would tip. I felt he was aggressive and just pressed enter and tapped my card. What do you guys think of this in Australia?

Other places just mention that if I want I can either press enter or type a tip amount and typically say that it's totally up to me. Some then look away (slightly embarrassed).

Interesting concept in Australia. Personally I tip every now and then. Mainly to round up the bill. Wages in Australia are quite good.

 

[moa999]

I'm generally round up to nearest 10, maybe slightly more in a split bill setting.. But no more than 5%

 

[MarkD]

I think tips are a scam. Ate at planet Hollywood in Seattle last night, suggested til 18-20%. On a $90 bill that is $18 from me. She was looking after 6 tables that hour, the others were spending heaps more than me. It's bull****. Also wanker uber drivers who give you a 4 or even 3 star when they don't get a tip. Love the USA but this will be my last holiday trip mainly due to the constant expectation that I can just throw my money at people who in all honesty are probably earning double what I do. Stuff them

 

[Milefest]

Also wanker uber drivers who give you a 4 or even 3 star when they don't get a tip

How do they know they've given you a 3 or 4 star rating for not tipping? And if you know, why haven't you reported them? It's against their policy tip.

 

[maninblack]

Tipping on $ spend is a nonsensical concept but that is the custom and it will not change. At say 18% (the current expectation in American restaurants) as part of your meal you will tip $27 if you order a $150 bottle of wine but only $9 on a $50 bottle. To the waiter it's all the same and it's a similar situation on $50 ribeye compared to a $20 pasta. No more work for the staff in one or the other.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Tipping on $ spend is a nonsensical concept but that is the custom and it will not change. At say 18% (the current expectation in American restaurants) as part of your meal you will tip $27 if you order a $150 bottle of wine but only $9 on a $50 bottle. To the waiter it's all the same and it's a similar situation on $50 ribeye compared to a $20 pasta. No more work for the staff in one or the other.

Nope. Never tip on wine. Food in US yes, wine no since markup is X4 bottle shop. In the UK, we remove the wine price from the bill before adding the "optional" 12-13% service charge. £150 for a £35 bottle of wine is adequate. Some ask why, mist accept without question. £27.50 for two glasses of mediocre Chardonnay last week also didn't attract the service charge from me.

 

[N860CR]

I believe it's ok to not tip for wine on a bill, just food. That said, the suggested tip no doubt counts the total bill.

The system is stupid though. I'm in San Fran tonight. A few of us went for beers and each paid separately. Every trip to the bar scored the guy $1 for taking the top off a Budweiser.

 

[moa999]

I've also heard that for certain jobs with high tips (high end bar/ restaurants, doorman jobs in rich buildings) that often you need to buy in to the job, or pay someone a cut of the tips - such is the potential earn

Crazy...

 

[andy2015]

The only time tipping in the US is obligatory is when you're dealing with staff who are paid the "tipped minimum wage." This wage is about $2.16 an hour. It's peanuts, and nobody anywhere can survive off of that. While it is not law that you must tip those employees, not tipping them is akin to legalized theft. (Even if it's busy and they're making tips left and right, it's really, really not appropriate to skip out on a tip.)

$2.13 and no one survives on that because no one has to. If their $2.13+tips isn't more than minimum wage then the employer must make up the difference so everyone is at least getting minimum wage. It is an important fact to remember when discussing the tipping culture in the US.

 

[MarkD]

How do they know they've given you a 3 or 4 star rating for not tipping? And if you know, why haven't you reported them? It's against their policy tip.

Because I had a 5 star and after this dodgy wanker in LA commented repeatedly about tips and I didn't tip him I dropped to 4.7. He was a bad driver, I did leave him a 2 star only because I survived the drive, barely, after running 3 red lights, 2 near misses, getting lost twice constant texting whilst driving. He was a coughy, however I was waiting on time for him, did not criticise his driving, thanked him when I got out. No tip = lower rating with yank uber drivers google it, I just did. Tips are a joke and a ripoff

 

[jb747]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

We never use ours - either find someone to give them to, or leave them next to the seat for the next person. Once we heard a woman on her mobile complaining about the horror day she had had with missed/delayed flights and it would be hours until she could get another one. Miss FM gave her all our vouchers

......and she got drunk, and was denied boarding...

 

[opusman]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

You have to be careful who you offer them to, last time the guy I offered them to told me very indignantly that he was a recovering alcoholic and hadn't had a drink for 12 years.

 

[Pushka]

My understanding is that staff are allowing customers to glimpse the money before quickly pocketing it. There would be no way for you to steal it.

I am so naive when it comes to such things. I just wouldn't get the hint. Well, I will now I clicked on this thread. Now I will just feel guilty for not tipping. Or not have a shower in the first place. Dammit. Too many decisions. Who said tipping isn't stressful!

 

[serfty]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

You have to be careful who you offer them to, last time the guy I offered them to told me very indignantly that he was a recovering alcoholic and hadn't had a drink for 12 years.

With those vouchers - I keep in the 'family' so to speak:

Admirals Club Treasure Hunt (drink chit / chits / coupons, etc.) master thread 2016+ - FlyerTalk Forums
Admirals Club Treasure Hunt (drink chit / chits / coupons, etc.) master thread 2015 + - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[coco50]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

You have to be careful who you offer them to, last time the guy I offered them to told me very indignantly that he was a recovering alcoholic and hadn't had a drink for 12 years.

I feel sorry for people who don't drink - the best they feel is when they wake up in the morning. It's all downhill after that

 

[JohnK]

I've also heard that for certain jobs with high tips (high end bar/ restaurants, doorman jobs in rich buildings) that often you need to buy in to the job, or pay someone a cut of the tips - such is the potential earn

Crazy...

Buy into a tipping job? Wow just wow.

So everyone in the USA earns at least minimum wage as the employer must make up the difference? I don't need to tip and my conscience is clear. Actually that's wrong. I do tip when I want to tip not when someone expects me to tip.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: TBIT 'Qantas' Business Lounge - extremely confused, as are staff

With those vouchers - I keep in the 'family' so to speak:

Admirals Club Treasure Hunt (drink chit / chits / coupons, etc.) master thread 2016+ - FlyerTalk Forums
Admirals Club Treasure Hunt (drink chit / chits / coupons, etc.) master thread 2015 + - FlyerTalk Forums

I must bookmark that - I knew it existed but can never seem to find it. Being brought up never to waste, it doesn't seem right to just throw them away..

 

[Flying mermaid]

Buy into a tipping job? Wow just wow.
.

I don't know if the figure is true or not, but I was told that for really upmarket restaurants in New York, people pay $50,000 to get a job....On the whole I don't mind tipping, but I don't like to feel I have to or that I might get it totally wrong. In Washington D.C. we stopped at a random restaurant to have lunch. We really don't eat very much (in spite of loving food), so Miss FM and I shared a starter, we each had a main and we all had a single drink. It was clearly quite an up market restaurant with big tables of people eating and drinking large amounts. Our waiter had been very friendly, so I tipped 25% of the bill. He was very snippy with us about the tip and clearly I should have tipped some minimum amount rather than a %. After that we tipped 30% for awhile, until I talked to some Americans who told me 18% to 20% is fine, but it did leave a nasty feeling.