What’s the latest on tipping at fast-casual restaurants? —Iain S., St. Louis
Questions regarding tipping outweigh any other in the Ask George file and for good reason: The tipping landscape—and the percentages—are always changing. A big tipper a decade ago would be considered a cheapskate by today’s standards.
One commonality today, though, is the discomfort that we all feel in fast-casual situations, specifically the unease that ensues when the person at the counter wheels that tablet around, seeking a scribbled signature—and, certainly, a tip. We’re faced with (but hoping not to see) the dreaded choices of 10, 15, 20, 25 percent, or other.
I’ve weighed in on this subject several times, in one instance criticizing a bakery where the prompts were 15, 20, and 25 percent, often for placing a scone and a cookie into a paper bag. My mantra has long been that if service is involved (and not just order-taking) and the restaurant is in the United States, then some tip is probably in order. Therefore, I've never condoned tipping at the counter, because at that point service is an unknown: The diner could be properly cared for, completely ignored, or something in between—hence the dilemma.
That said, if only for the convenience factor, I reluctantly pre-tip for services unknown—usually 10 percent—opening the door to the counterperson’s assessment of the percentage.
Courtesy of Square
To help with this dilemma, Square recently introduced a handheld wireless payment device that eliminates the dreaded tablet flip-around—and, thereby, a portion of the angst.
Another alternative: higher wages in the restaurant industry, eliminating the need for tipping at the counter. Many restaurants have already done just that. There are no tip prompts, for example, at Wicked Greenz or at ‘ZZA Pizza + Salad.
Chris Sommers, owner of both Pi Pizzeria and ‘ZZA, says customers might not realize that restaurant owners control the tablet’s tip percentage choices and can choose either enable or disable the tip prompt. “I never turned that prompt on, because I wanted transparency,” he says of ‘ZZA. “It’s awkward for the guest but also for the team member. People get judged, and nobody likes to get judged. So in the end, the hospitable thing to do is not put the option in front of the guest.”
Part of the issue stems from how restaurant employees are compensated. For example, at full-service establishments, it’s permissible for employers to pay tipped employees less than minimum wage (as long as tips make up the difference); in fast-casual situations, employees are mandated to be paid minimum wage. If the employer pays more than minimum wage, as Sommers does, the pressure to enable the tip prompt at the counter is reduced. Doing so also reduces the wage discrepancy between the front and back of house, which can be an issue for many restaurants.
“Dining out, even at fast-casual places, can get expensive,” says Sommers. “Sales tax in the city is over 10 percent, and I think asking the guest to add a few more dollars on top of that to the cost of a lunch is excessive.”
In the end, it’s the fast-casual restaurant operator who makes the call about whether to pay employees a bit more up front and eliminate the tip prompt (which can be achieved through higher menu costs) or to pay employees less and ask guests to make up the difference.
If you have a question for George, email him at gmahe@stlmag.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @stlmag_dining. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
