> In a restaurant if they don't get tipped enough the restaurant has to make up the difference / pay them minimum wage (though this rule to differ per state). So not paying still should result in minimum wage.
In principle this is true; in practice it is rarely honored.
> From what I understood in US it's rather arbitrary whom you pay extra and which persons you do not (e.g. even pay extra to get a haircut). Once you travel more you'll notice these rules are rather arbitrary (custom in one country, totally unexpected in another). For restaurants I often don't go back to the same place twice so I don't see the point of randomly paying more. As result I'm trying to stop doing that (it feels impolite, this despite me sometimes being unique in adding giving a tip). Paying by bankcard helps to avoid tipping.
All customs are arbitrary to some extent, but the rule of thumb is that if you're getting a personal service from someone who's not a professional you should tip.
My barber has been cutting hair for two decades and a masseuse I go to has various certificates. I assume they're all professional yet still have to tip on top of the regular prices. I don't tip at the dry cleaner or after having clothes altered. Working as a barista in various cafes, tips were few and far between, vs pouring beers. Not much difference in the actual experience.
Good rule of thumb but I think it can still trip up non-Americans to some degree.
Best tipping I ever had was working at a fancy hotel - paid a decent service industry wage and would regular get tips of $10-20.
Well, the idea of "professional" is a bit slippery, I guess, but let's say the exempted categories are mostly tradesmen and white-collar professionals.
Yeah, I think that works. Honestly, one of the 'surprises' of American adulthood was finding out how many different categories of folks are expecting a tip. I would much rather have prices up front - whether it's someone doing a job or taxes (like a VAT) be included with prices so you actually know what to expect to pay.
In principle this is true; in practice it is rarely honored.
> From what I understood in US it's rather arbitrary whom you pay extra and which persons you do not (e.g. even pay extra to get a haircut). Once you travel more you'll notice these rules are rather arbitrary (custom in one country, totally unexpected in another). For restaurants I often don't go back to the same place twice so I don't see the point of randomly paying more. As result I'm trying to stop doing that (it feels impolite, this despite me sometimes being unique in adding giving a tip). Paying by bankcard helps to avoid tipping.
All customs are arbitrary to some extent, but the rule of thumb is that if you're getting a personal service from someone who's not a professional you should tip.