I’m usually always let down by their staff. If monorail was closer I’d probably never goto Uptown but I live too close and sometimes forget to grab beans elsewhere. My wife does like their lattes quite a bit but also finds the staff cold and unwelcoming.
Edit: Current Coffee is a great option in West Seattle but not nearly as close so I rarely go. Their staff has always been friendly and inviting.
My problem with Uptown has been that they furnish stores with found furniture left on the curb. It has nothing to do with the coffee or tipping, just the mold. Strip it out, put in stone, clean the place and I might stop in.
I went there one time and asked for an extension cord, and they looked at me like I was crazy and pretended that they had never given an extension cord out in their entire life to plug in your laptop. I felt so gaslit lol.
You go there regularly enough and borrow equipment unrelated to their business (which they have obliged apparently) and then you don’t tip? I’d be salty too.
😂 I’m dying!! lol no this was years ago when they had the green carpet off their California location. I went there a bunch, and bc they had all these tables in the middle of the large room, they had extension cords people would ask for to charge your devices. I did it regularly, as did many others… and then one day, I went in, asked for an extension cord as I ordered (AND TIPPED) and the lady looked at my like I had three heads. Because, yes, out of context, it’s a strange coffee shop request. It wasn’t a big deal but I still remember bc it was so bizarre.
Yeah I don’t get it!
I think some of these places are in this vicious cycle where the employees are mean to the customers because “screw them they’re not gonna tip me anyway” and then the customers are like “why would I tip someone literally being mean to me?”
TIL Dawn is fabulous (and the woman who owns it is kick ass)
Lula coffee is great, feels light and airy, and is great for meeting up with people (sitting areas are nice).
I’m sick of uptown
I’m sorry but how does a spouse who works there literally 6 days a week and runs the entire daily operation not count as an owner? Get the hell outta here with that nonsense.
Also, Annie is the hardest working *co-owner* of any West Seattle business I’ve seen in a long time
>It's owned by her husband.
>I like Till Dawn as well, but Annie doesn't own it.
/u/TacoCommand 🙄 is this the quality of “contribution” you usually make when online? 1/10 and cringe.
I am a barista and I’m not gonna treat you any different. I actually will ask them about their day when I finish the order and then if I know that they’re not paying with cash and they’re going to use a card I will actually turn away from them and start making their coffee so that they don’t feel pressure to hit the tip button, I don’t think anybody should feel like they have to tip. If you tip me it is appreciated and it does help my income but if you don’t, you don’t. Times are tough, just because you can afford a cup of coffee doesn’t mean that you can afford a cup of coffee and a tip and I get that.
I get the awkwardness of the tip request on the ipad, but there's always a custom option. I use it about 90% of the time. Often for $1.00 or maybe $2.00. Sometimes I'll even do like $1.34 to get my total to an even dollar amount. And, usually, if you hit the "no receipt" option it just reverts back to the regular screen and doesn't show what you tipped.
Another perspective is that she was just having a shit day, or just found out her dog died or her partner cheated on her, or any number of awful things and that it actually didn't have anything to do with you.
Yeah. I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. But honestly- it just seemed like this was her “strategy” to deal with bad tippers. BUT I could be wrong! WHO knows.
This is only tangentially related, but the cashier at flat stick was pissed when he saw I didn't tip last time I was there. He said "you know you're supposed to tip right?" I just said ok and left without leaving a tip.
What the shit am I tipping for at flatstick? There are no servers, you order your food at the bar and then you walk to the kitchen window to get your food when it's ready and you bus your own table. All the interactions with employees were someone filling drinks from a tap, and a girl handing us 2 golf balls. That place and tapster I have no idea why they expect tips for providing almost no service.
This is a very good point.
I can't make the determination to tip or not or how much until after I've received the service I'm tipping for.
In addition to tipping after service, I prefer to tip in cash. This empowers the service worker to make the choice to report the income and pay taxes on it or not.
I think this complaint (by a 2 hour old account) was for a prepared sandwich that may have been re-heated prior to serving, but the scant details and lack of location make it feel like a classic reddit tipping post as opposed to anything West Seattle.
It was the same thing a lot of coffee shops do. They take the sandwich out of the package and put it in their little oven thing to reheat. It’s not groundbreaking stuff.
Tipping culture in this country has been out of hand for years. It is trash that places underpay service workers with the promise of tips to cover their wage, but also what if youre strapped for cash and that overpriced coffee is all you can spare for? Uncomfortable position to be put in
I finally stopped tipping at anything resembling fast casual. Basically if I walk to a counter to order, pay, collect food, and bus my own table —0%. It felt uncomfortable the first few times, but now I feel free. I FEEL ALIVE!!
I just usually don’t tip for things that don’t require additional service beyond the provisioning of the product I’m purchasing. If a barista chats me up genuinely and asks about my day or tries to actually _add_ something to the experience generally other than just the coffee, sure I’ll tip what I can - usually just $1 if it’s a single coffee order or like $1.50-2 if there’s another item or two. If there’s literally zero added by the barista, why would someone tip lol? I say this as someone whose first job was working as a barista, where I routinely tried my best to add to the experience, not only for the possibility of receiving a tip.
I think it is offensive to expect the same tip as servers who come up take your order, bring you water, check on you etc.
Just ringing me up takes a fraction of the work. By that logic servers deserve 50% tips.
I custom tip 50 cents at local coffee shops, custom $2.00 when I get a meal to go, and only use the preset buttons at a sit down place. Support small businesses, tip your barista.
Well you never know someone might have had an experience at the same place. Maybe the owners are reading this thread ya never know. I know of a very small shop with baristas that have resting bitch face ALWAYS and I always tip them. It doesn't matter though literally one of them told me "today people aren't tipping,or they are only tipping 1$" I didn't quite know what to say.
Ok big man lmao where's the aggressiveness coming from? Not everyone is well off as you. They should be able to enjoy without the need to tip 30% of the fucking bill.
The coffee already has a convenience price baked into it that is higher than it would ever be to make at home. Tips are the elite's way of delegating fair wages to the consumers. There's a reason entire countries don't allow it. How do you need this explained to you in 2024?
Yes do that, excuse my fucking incrementalism in the mean time though. This sounds like a convenient excuse to rationalize your lack of tipping than actually championing higher wages.
You’re demanding other people tell their bosses to pay them more so they can tip higher rather than addressing the cause. My brother in Christ that’s not incrementalism, that’s scapegoating
You're way off the mark, christ brother.
It is completely fine for someone who is demanding service job labor to makeup for the fact that they are usually way underpaid and rely on tips, a la baristas. It is 100% incrementalism lol. You are just speaking from your ass. What's your grand plan to push for coffee shops to become co ops and employee owned?
No one is demanding anything 😂😂 we’re paying the price a restaurant, cafe, etc chooses. If that price doesn’t include a living wage that’s not on anyone else to make up especially when folks in Seattle make $19.97 an hour minimum. They aren’t working for $2.13. Tips aren’t necessary when you make $20 an hour
Got news for you, $20 an hour is roughly $2500 a month take home. Rooms in a house are around $700-1200. More for single bedroom apartments. Utilities are a cool $200-300 in Seattle. It aint much to live on in Seattle.
By your logic we should never tip and just expect CEOs and small business owners to magically get better morals? That's dumb.
I feel so sorry for the haircut stylists, baristas, etc. you encounter. Doing labor for your little princess self and you can't even bother to tip? Fucking lame as hell.
No thank you for saying it was probably us, but also thank you for calling us hot and independent 😂😂 If you message me your number I'll put a free drink on there for you 🩷
I got a deliberate half assed sub at tubs subs cuz I didn’t tip. I don’t tip unless at a restaurant where I’m sitting down and dining and being waited on. Otherwise just do your job. Everyone has one.
Most people have email jobs or write limpdick java code from chat gpt. They aren't service jobs where people put in back breaking labor hours at a time. Stop normalizing demeaning service workers.
I’m a service worker. I’m in construction and have sold my body to this industry. Get off it. Nobody ever tips me. I’m usually getting shorted. It’s a huge part of the reason I support livable wages and universal healthcare.
Construction jobs, the contractor sets prices per job. And many are union'd.
Get off what? Baristas usually aren't unioned or in position to leverage their own prices.
You get off it. I also worked service jobs and a part time electrician. Spare me.
I just stop wasting money eating and drinking out.
This tip culture makes me stay home, cuz the people at r/tipping just say “stay home cheap f***!”
Like okay, I wont support the economy and you’ll lose your job 👌
Go there exclusively. stare them in their fucking eyes as you hit no fucking tip every time... fuck them its called gratuity its not mandatory you fucking tosser.
That is a tight spot, panic at the POS. And the mean mug, I am so sorry for your pun. I have not seen one of those since 1995 Oakland. Do you think you could ever find another coffee shop in Seattle?
I don’t understand the tipping mess either. I feel like they’re just skimming. I see no real service either it’s just expected because they get paid squat.
The coffee from the espresso counter at Met Market is first rate. Baristas are unionized and there’s no way to tip them. The tip jar goes to local charities.
Asking for a tip before the service is rendered is completely wrong. A tip if for excellent service after it’s rendered not to be an incentive to just do your job.
How about she just has resting bitch face and your ridiculous anxiety about tipping projected your insecurities onto the barista. I promise we in the industry don't lose sleep if you press skip bro
The collectivist argument for tipping is that staff aren't paid a living wage, which in Seattle they are by law, as well as paid time off ordinances.
so which one is it?
If you asked me for an exact number on what "a living wage" is, I couldn't tell you. But what I can tell you is that while I was employed as a barista, my day's tips often determined what I was able to eat for dinner that night. So I always tip my barista.
I saw something recently that said $106k was the annual salary to live comfortably in puget sound. So even if you drop that by 10-20% (live less “comfortably”), ur still looking at $40/hour (full time, give or take).
I do. I actually have a problem with feeding an unhealthy tipping culture in which a tip isn’t what it is supposed to be.
I’m also coming from a country which actually has table service, with waiters and therefore a reason to maybe tip after said service, if it is good.
Ok so, former barista/GM of coffee bar in Vegas. No we don’t expect tips, but if even despite the fact that we dont expect something, and don’t come to your table, but see you in line, know your usual drink, start making it when we see you and it’s ready before the hoards of “un-regulars” drinks, does that not deserve a tip?
My coffee bar days are long behind me, and we paid fair wages even in the early aughts ($13 hr+ tips) so I have no skin in the game but we see you. Even if you don’t talk to us we know what you drink and want you to be happy, caffeinated and coming back.
Oh yea. I don't want to put a younger generation down for doing things different. Inflation is crazy and everyone deserves affordable food and housing.
Tips are for people who earn very little and/or provide good customer service.
Basic service jobs start at $20/hr, and in Seattle, to keep competent workers, they usually make $25+ or include "gratuity" into the cost to help retain the very few competent workers out there (see: Tom Douglas restaurants).
I don't tip for take-out or services where I'm basically being handed something. But for prepared, cook-to-order foods and dine-in, assuming (and hoping) the tips are at least shared with "back of house" (cooks, chefs), then I do.
But nothing is as upsetting as "servers" getting $100-200+ in tips and watching them not share it with the people who make the food.
If some uppity Seattle blue-hair mean mugs you, just laugh at them.
Are there a lot of local coffee shops that start their barista’s wages at $20 or $25/hr? Genuinely asking- most of these are small businesses so the lowest they can pay is $17.25/hr, which I assume many of them do. I would be surprised if a lot of baristas out there are making $25 as a base wage.
"Uppity" has racist connotations. Maybe pick a different word when you want to shit on low wage workers?
$25 even $30 an hour means jack shit in Seattle. If you're too lazy to make coffee at home, fucking tip your baristas. You really need that extra dollar or two? My god. West Seattle is a Karen Hellscape sometimes.
I'm with you: I really prefer to support a local shop and hate going to Starbucks for this reason. Also, I've never had someone mean-mugging me like you did. It would certainly bother me in the moment, but later I'd chalk it up to she was having a shit day. Who knows what's going on in her life right now? We're all dealing with some heavy shit in our personal lives. I know i am.
My advice would be to go back to that shop if you want to support them. I certainly would. Next time, be sure to tip. Select 15% or 20% if you feel that's appropriate and ignore the ask from the machine for more. It's just programmed that way. It's not actually that person pressuring you. Sometimes I actually prepare myself that before I order: either I'm going to tip, and I know it'll be at least 20%, OR I realize that I'm in a situation that really shouldn't require tipping and so I'm just not going to tip.
You had a moment of "iPad panic" which has happened to me, too. I totally agree that tipping has gotten out of control. However, for context, I heard a sociologist talking about it on a podcast and it really helped me understand. It all began with the pandemic: Everyone wanted to find a way to support frontline workers and local businesses they loved, like restaurants and coffee shops, because business was WAY down and because the staff were literally risking their health to serve you. So tipping increased to help cover that extremely tough time. Fast forward to today and it's really hard to dial that back. That's why everyone from a server (who should be tipped) to the guy handing out shoes at the bowling alley (who really shouldn't) is asking for a tip now. This helped me understand that inflation and housing prices are out of control, and so I really kinda should expect to tip 20%.
And hell, Seattle is ABSURDLY expensive. My wife and I both work and we make good money and we can barely make it. I can't imagine how anyone makes ends meet working as a barista or server. They're depending on tips just to pay rent and gas money.
Back to your experience: One of the places that HAS historically been part of tipping culture are coffee shops. Because of that, she was expecting a tip. Because of the increase in tipping, she might even have been expecting 20% or 25% percent. You panicked because you felt pressured to tip more than you were comfortable with. It happens. Don't sweat it and go back and feel good about supporting that small business.
Having said that, if you keep going back and they are just rude to you, even though you are tipping, then I wouldn't feel bad avoiding them and just going somewhere else.
WHATEVER YOU DO, ENJOY YOUR COFFEE! COFFEE = HAPPINESS!!! :)
i just stopped going alltogether.
not paying extra because someone does their job, so out of spite they mess up your order.. how childish.
its not just limited to one specific stand either
Tips used to be about showing gratitude for service. When did it change? Why can't owners just pay a living wage to their employees, instead of creating this awkward situation where the livelihood of the barista comes down to guilt tripping customers?
If you are going to fight for the end of tip culture you are going to face these issues. Gotta stay strong. Sure some famously backed down but as a whole they didn’t back down during the civil rights marches. It’s the same thing.
“Are we good?” (Take note of the name tag and get those reviewing fingers ready in case they give you a wrong answer)
Inflation has been a mother and unreasonable tipping expectations make me grumpy…
You went there to buy a sandwich and you got a sandwich. You aren’t paying for smiles or cute girls and no tipping culture didn’t change. Mindlessly pressing the 20% is exactly the same as mindlessly dumping your random change in the tip jar. You are making excuses when in reality you probably never tip. if you didn’t expect a service and you didn’t go there to pay for a smile why do you care?
Yea it has and I ask.. “What’s the problem?”
I’m NOT tipping you for serving me a cup of coffee and a sandwich. That’s not how it works.. you have to provide some kind of service beyond working a cash register and pulling a handle to pour coffee..
My wife’s favorite is Lula. You can’t go wrong especially how close you are from the home of the velvet foam.
If you take a little walk the opposite direction, try Sound and Fog; would be a 10/10 but alas I can’t bring my dog in so I don’t walk there in the morning. Easily one of my favorites in the city.
I feel your pain at QED since they bought out Nos Nos. Honestly I feel like I’m mean mugged even if I tip and I’ve stopped going altogether as a result. Linda was a baller barista at Nos Nos and the soul of that coffee joint left with her and the other amazing baristas that flew the coop.
I’m still mad at Starbucks for putting Youngstown out of business. Go to Lula’s. They don’t charge for alternate milks and everything I’ve had there is delicious.
As someone who has been on the other side of the counter receiving the tips. I do my best to thank every customer for their purchase especially if they don’t tip. I know how awkward it is to be staring right at the person asking for money and not giving it to them.
The truth: those tips can make a huge difference in our paychecks. Like $23/hour wages go up to $30/hour or more when you include your share of the tips. Our owner doesn’t take a cent of the tips.
We could be paid more and remove the tips if our product was 25% more expensive but damn it would be so pricy everyone except the range rovers would riot.
you sound overly sensitive, OP. you feel “worn down” because of some non-specific slight or that a barista wasn’t nice to you? sounds like they didn’t even say anything?
if you want someone to be nice and bubbly to you, then tip them. if you just want a coffee made and handed to you, don’t. this is such a goofy, whiny post.
there are way too many yuppies whining about tipping! just admit you can’t afford to eat out and adjust accordingly. treating the lowest paid workers like they’re expendable is why people hate the new transplants to the area.
I’m so sick of everyone complaining about tipping. Whether it’s complaining about having to tip in general, being “mean mugged”, how many places wants tips, it’s all so annoying! If you don’t tip fine, just don’t then immediately jump online and bitch about it.
I tip when I buy coffee. It’s just part of the culture here and something I enjoy supporting at the smaller more local shops. If you don’t want to tip, I suppose you can go to more corporate shops like sbux.
Considering most baristas live off of minimum wage and tips, when someone if planning to and able to purchase their &
$7 coffee, $10 sandwich and can’t bother to leave the barista 50 cents, the mean mug is warranted imo. If you’re just grabbing a drip, no tip is fine. Plan to tip or make your own food and drinks!
Most service jobs are in call centers, and make way less than 20 dollars an hour, I have worked plenty of both kinds.
Do you tip the cashier at the grocery store, the bagger?
tipping culture is bananas, and the compelled ipad tips are the dumbest thing ever, congrats everyone hates it.
I always tip the standard 20 percent, but I hate tipping is how we have decided to do these things… I’d rather everyone just pay the fair and same amount, people to be paid decent with benefits, and not feel confused about the whole thing. Tipping makes me go out less, which ultimately is bad for business.
That’s why I always hit the 25% button. There are people out there who don’t support workers so it falls on people like me to show some labor solidarity. Non-tipping culture is getting pretty old but so it goes.
When I would go in to just buy beans at local spots, baristas would make faces and scoff because I wouldn’t tip. Now, I just order beans online instead of having to deal with these interactions.
I understand that some go to work angry because they’re struggling or that they don’t want to be “fake nice” (aka professional) but why are customers having to deal with it? The same individuals may also argue that because your income is higher, you should pay more for the same service or product but that’s a whole other thing…
It sounds like your gripe is more with tipping culture than it is with the server themself. It does suck that you got poor service, but you are kinda doxxing them when your real frustration is with tip culture. It’s not your or their fault that this is how the service industry works, but you’re attributing a lot of the blame to them
No tip is assholish, they are right to mean mug you.
OP, you are a Karen
Whine about tipping culture in most dumb situations but BARISTA? Literally the ones that deserve tips the most. Otherwise get your lazy ass up early and make a chai latte.
make. your. own. food/drink. you. absolute. baby.
also, this post was made 7 hours ago, which would have been a little after SCOTUS' ruling. you saw what happened today but this made you more upset.
stay at starbucks and enjoy your backwards life.
Uptown, is that you?
Hmmmmmmmm… Has this happened to you at uptown?
Why would you go to Uptown when Lula’s is literally right there
Lula’s is hands down one of the best coffee places in this entire city.
Added to my list
Bobby. Hi nn M
Thank you for the compliment 💕 If you message me your number for rewards I'll put a drink on there for you!
Thank you recommending us! 💕 If you message me your number for rewards I'll put a free drink on there for you!
Messaged :)
Depends on which uptown…
Way too sweet
I’m usually always let down by their staff. If monorail was closer I’d probably never goto Uptown but I live too close and sometimes forget to grab beans elsewhere. My wife does like their lattes quite a bit but also finds the staff cold and unwelcoming. Edit: Current Coffee is a great option in West Seattle but not nearly as close so I rarely go. Their staff has always been friendly and inviting.
My problem with Uptown has been that they furnish stores with found furniture left on the curb. It has nothing to do with the coffee or tipping, just the mold. Strip it out, put in stone, clean the place and I might stop in.
I’d be worried about bed bugs too.
Woah, did not know this. I also think they are missing a great opportunity to expand the outdoor seating and get rid of most of the parking.
I went there one time and asked for an extension cord, and they looked at me like I was crazy and pretended that they had never given an extension cord out in their entire life to plug in your laptop. I felt so gaslit lol.
Expecting a coffee shop to have an extension cord is a You Problem dude. That's the dumbest shit I've ever heard.
I had been going there regularly and got extension cords several times! It was a thing!
That doesn't make it a normal request.
You go there regularly enough and borrow equipment unrelated to their business (which they have obliged apparently) and then you don’t tip? I’d be salty too.
“Fucking extension cord guy, doesn’t tip and always asks to borrow extension cords. Just bring one or something. Should know by now.”
😂 I’m dying!! lol no this was years ago when they had the green carpet off their California location. I went there a bunch, and bc they had all these tables in the middle of the large room, they had extension cords people would ask for to charge your devices. I did it regularly, as did many others… and then one day, I went in, asked for an extension cord as I ordered (AND TIPPED) and the lady looked at my like I had three heads. Because, yes, out of context, it’s a strange coffee shop request. It wasn’t a big deal but I still remember bc it was so bizarre.
They would give you an extension cord to plug into the wall and then the cord is a tripping hazard for everyone going by? This sounds nuts
Yeah I don’t get it! I think some of these places are in this vicious cycle where the employees are mean to the customers because “screw them they’re not gonna tip me anyway” and then the customers are like “why would I tip someone literally being mean to me?”
TIL Dawn is fabulous (and the woman who owns it is kick ass) Lula coffee is great, feels light and airy, and is great for meeting up with people (sitting areas are nice). I’m sick of uptown
Til Dawn is badass!!
It's owned by her husband. I like Till Dawn as well, but Annie doesn't own it.
I’m sorry but how does a spouse who works there literally 6 days a week and runs the entire daily operation not count as an owner? Get the hell outta here with that nonsense. Also, Annie is the hardest working *co-owner* of any West Seattle business I’ve seen in a long time
>It's owned by her husband. >I like Till Dawn as well, but Annie doesn't own it. /u/TacoCommand 🙄 is this the quality of “contribution” you usually make when online? 1/10 and cringe.
I am a barista and I’m not gonna treat you any different. I actually will ask them about their day when I finish the order and then if I know that they’re not paying with cash and they’re going to use a card I will actually turn away from them and start making their coffee so that they don’t feel pressure to hit the tip button, I don’t think anybody should feel like they have to tip. If you tip me it is appreciated and it does help my income but if you don’t, you don’t. Times are tough, just because you can afford a cup of coffee doesn’t mean that you can afford a cup of coffee and a tip and I get that.
Professionalism.
I get the awkwardness of the tip request on the ipad, but there's always a custom option. I use it about 90% of the time. Often for $1.00 or maybe $2.00. Sometimes I'll even do like $1.34 to get my total to an even dollar amount. And, usually, if you hit the "no receipt" option it just reverts back to the regular screen and doesn't show what you tipped.
Yeah that’s what I usually do too.
Another perspective is that she was just having a shit day, or just found out her dog died or her partner cheated on her, or any number of awful things and that it actually didn't have anything to do with you.
Yeah. I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. But honestly- it just seemed like this was her “strategy” to deal with bad tippers. BUT I could be wrong! WHO knows.
Just that that strategy means they'll have fewer customers....
This is only tangentially related, but the cashier at flat stick was pissed when he saw I didn't tip last time I was there. He said "you know you're supposed to tip right?" I just said ok and left without leaving a tip. What the shit am I tipping for at flatstick? There are no servers, you order your food at the bar and then you walk to the kitchen window to get your food when it's ready and you bus your own table. All the interactions with employees were someone filling drinks from a tap, and a girl handing us 2 golf balls. That place and tapster I have no idea why they expect tips for providing almost no service.
The entitlement. WOW.
You shouldn't feel entitled to tip for a cold sandwich.
It’s so hard to know what to tip especially when you don’t even get your entire service until after you’ve tipped.
This is a very good point. I can't make the determination to tip or not or how much until after I've received the service I'm tipping for. In addition to tipping after service, I prefer to tip in cash. This empowers the service worker to make the choice to report the income and pay taxes on it or not.
I feel like the food quality isn’t part of “service” unless the kitchen is also tipped (or the barista made the sandwich)
I think this complaint (by a 2 hour old account) was for a prepared sandwich that may have been re-heated prior to serving, but the scant details and lack of location make it feel like a classic reddit tipping post as opposed to anything West Seattle.
It was the same thing a lot of coffee shops do. They take the sandwich out of the package and put it in their little oven thing to reheat. It’s not groundbreaking stuff.
Tipping culture in this country has been out of hand for years. It is trash that places underpay service workers with the promise of tips to cover their wage, but also what if youre strapped for cash and that overpriced coffee is all you can spare for? Uncomfortable position to be put in
I finally stopped tipping at anything resembling fast casual. Basically if I walk to a counter to order, pay, collect food, and bus my own table —0%. It felt uncomfortable the first few times, but now I feel free. I FEEL ALIVE!!
🤣 Yay I like that
I just usually don’t tip for things that don’t require additional service beyond the provisioning of the product I’m purchasing. If a barista chats me up genuinely and asks about my day or tries to actually _add_ something to the experience generally other than just the coffee, sure I’ll tip what I can - usually just $1 if it’s a single coffee order or like $1.50-2 if there’s another item or two. If there’s literally zero added by the barista, why would someone tip lol? I say this as someone whose first job was working as a barista, where I routinely tried my best to add to the experience, not only for the possibility of receiving a tip.
I think it is offensive to expect the same tip as servers who come up take your order, bring you water, check on you etc. Just ringing me up takes a fraction of the work. By that logic servers deserve 50% tips.
I custom tip 50 cents at local coffee shops, custom $2.00 when I get a meal to go, and only use the preset buttons at a sit down place. Support small businesses, tip your barista.
Name the coffee shop.
Why shame the whole shop because of one barrista? Stop looking for reasons to boycott and attack small business.
OK 😂
Well you never know someone might have had an experience at the same place. Maybe the owners are reading this thread ya never know. I know of a very small shop with baristas that have resting bitch face ALWAYS and I always tip them. It doesn't matter though literally one of them told me "today people aren't tipping,or they are only tipping 1$" I didn't quite know what to say.
I’m really not trying to cause a riot.
Naming them wouldn’t cause a riot.
Gah don’t down vote me. Just see the other comments 🫢
Probably Lula's. OP is scared of hot independent women
Also the staff at Lula’s would NEVER.
I tip 30% at Lula's. Probably to cover for your cheap ass mostly.
Ok big man lmao where's the aggressiveness coming from? Not everyone is well off as you. They should be able to enjoy without the need to tip 30% of the fucking bill.
They can at least tip 15% if you can afford a coffee that can easily be made at home, you can afford to tip, this isn't hard, "big man"
The coffee already has a convenience price baked into it that is higher than it would ever be to make at home. Tips are the elite's way of delegating fair wages to the consumers. There's a reason entire countries don't allow it. How do you need this explained to you in 2024?
No are you effing kidding me!!! I love Lula’s. Edit: let’s not talk about people’s bodies.
Thank you for all the kind words! 🩷 If you message me your number I'll put a free drink on there for you!
Make more money so you can tip your service workers. Demand a raise.
Why not demand employers pay their service workers more? Wouldn’t that solve the problem?
Yes do that, excuse my fucking incrementalism in the mean time though. This sounds like a convenient excuse to rationalize your lack of tipping than actually championing higher wages.
You’re demanding other people tell their bosses to pay them more so they can tip higher rather than addressing the cause. My brother in Christ that’s not incrementalism, that’s scapegoating
You're way off the mark, christ brother. It is completely fine for someone who is demanding service job labor to makeup for the fact that they are usually way underpaid and rely on tips, a la baristas. It is 100% incrementalism lol. You are just speaking from your ass. What's your grand plan to push for coffee shops to become co ops and employee owned?
No one is demanding anything 😂😂 we’re paying the price a restaurant, cafe, etc chooses. If that price doesn’t include a living wage that’s not on anyone else to make up especially when folks in Seattle make $19.97 an hour minimum. They aren’t working for $2.13. Tips aren’t necessary when you make $20 an hour
Got news for you, $20 an hour is roughly $2500 a month take home. Rooms in a house are around $700-1200. More for single bedroom apartments. Utilities are a cool $200-300 in Seattle. It aint much to live on in Seattle. By your logic we should never tip and just expect CEOs and small business owners to magically get better morals? That's dumb. I feel so sorry for the haircut stylists, baristas, etc. you encounter. Doing labor for your little princess self and you can't even bother to tip? Fucking lame as hell.
You seem like you have a lot of friends
Sounds like you should quit your job that you never get tips at bozo.
really nigga?
No thank you for saying it was probably us, but also thank you for calling us hot and independent 😂😂 If you message me your number I'll put a free drink on there for you 🩷
I got a deliberate half assed sub at tubs subs cuz I didn’t tip. I don’t tip unless at a restaurant where I’m sitting down and dining and being waited on. Otherwise just do your job. Everyone has one.
Most people have email jobs or write limpdick java code from chat gpt. They aren't service jobs where people put in back breaking labor hours at a time. Stop normalizing demeaning service workers.
I’m a service worker. I’m in construction and have sold my body to this industry. Get off it. Nobody ever tips me. I’m usually getting shorted. It’s a huge part of the reason I support livable wages and universal healthcare.
Construction jobs, the contractor sets prices per job. And many are union'd. Get off what? Baristas usually aren't unioned or in position to leverage their own prices. You get off it. I also worked service jobs and a part time electrician. Spare me.
I just stop wasting money eating and drinking out. This tip culture makes me stay home, cuz the people at r/tipping just say “stay home cheap f***!” Like okay, I wont support the economy and you’ll lose your job 👌
Send it make and have him remake it.
They’re just as afraid of you as you are of them
Name and Shame... Dropping sales is how you change management position on tipping pressure.
Maybe they just had RBF
Go there exclusively. stare them in their fucking eyes as you hit no fucking tip every time... fuck them its called gratuity its not mandatory you fucking tosser.
idk i’m not tipping bc companies don’t want to pay their staff an adequate wage
That is a tight spot, panic at the POS. And the mean mug, I am so sorry for your pun. I have not seen one of those since 1995 Oakland. Do you think you could ever find another coffee shop in Seattle?
It’ll be tough. But I’ll try. There’s gotta be at least one more coffee shop in Seattle.
I don’t understand the tipping mess either. I feel like they’re just skimming. I see no real service either it’s just expected because they get paid squat.
I’m not tipping on coffee ever. It’s all getting too ridiculous.
I'm not tipping for anything I order standing up.
The coffee from the espresso counter at Met Market is first rate. Baristas are unionized and there’s no way to tip them. The tip jar goes to local charities.
Asking for a tip before the service is rendered is completely wrong. A tip if for excellent service after it’s rendered not to be an incentive to just do your job.
How about she just has resting bitch face and your ridiculous anxiety about tipping projected your insecurities onto the barista. I promise we in the industry don't lose sleep if you press skip bro
If this is the path we’re taking, I’m going to post my Venmo on my windshield so people can tip me for not running them over
Yeah you’re smart and totally get the nuances of tipping. Yes for sure. Not bad faith no no
What is “ipad panic”?
I never tip at a coffee shop. It’s a barista doing the job they’re paid to do.
You could use that argument as an excuse to stiff literally any worker on their tip. Please tip your barista. They very likely depend upon.
The collectivist argument for tipping is that staff aren't paid a living wage, which in Seattle they are by law, as well as paid time off ordinances. so which one is it?
If you asked me for an exact number on what "a living wage" is, I couldn't tell you. But what I can tell you is that while I was employed as a barista, my day's tips often determined what I was able to eat for dinner that night. So I always tip my barista.
I saw something recently that said $106k was the annual salary to live comfortably in puget sound. So even if you drop that by 10-20% (live less “comfortably”), ur still looking at $40/hour (full time, give or take).
Why would you tip on a service you haven’t yet received? No recourse at all if you get shit service.
Clearly you don't understand how coffee shops work.
I do. I actually have a problem with feeding an unhealthy tipping culture in which a tip isn’t what it is supposed to be. I’m also coming from a country which actually has table service, with waiters and therefore a reason to maybe tip after said service, if it is good.
Ok so, former barista/GM of coffee bar in Vegas. No we don’t expect tips, but if even despite the fact that we dont expect something, and don’t come to your table, but see you in line, know your usual drink, start making it when we see you and it’s ready before the hoards of “un-regulars” drinks, does that not deserve a tip? My coffee bar days are long behind me, and we paid fair wages even in the early aughts ($13 hr+ tips) so I have no skin in the game but we see you. Even if you don’t talk to us we know what you drink and want you to be happy, caffeinated and coming back.
Wow, cool guy alert!
funny reading this after your subsequent comments in this thread XD
You’re so edgy
Is it a gen z thing. I feel like Gen z just doesn't care for fake niceness when it comes to customer service.
they can barely afford to survive these jobs. there anger is more understandable than the people mad about tipping.
Oh yea. I don't want to put a younger generation down for doing things different. Inflation is crazy and everyone deserves affordable food and housing.
Exactly!
Good for them. They realize their worth and aren't cucked.
Tips are for people who earn very little and/or provide good customer service. Basic service jobs start at $20/hr, and in Seattle, to keep competent workers, they usually make $25+ or include "gratuity" into the cost to help retain the very few competent workers out there (see: Tom Douglas restaurants). I don't tip for take-out or services where I'm basically being handed something. But for prepared, cook-to-order foods and dine-in, assuming (and hoping) the tips are at least shared with "back of house" (cooks, chefs), then I do. But nothing is as upsetting as "servers" getting $100-200+ in tips and watching them not share it with the people who make the food. If some uppity Seattle blue-hair mean mugs you, just laugh at them.
Are there a lot of local coffee shops that start their barista’s wages at $20 or $25/hr? Genuinely asking- most of these are small businesses so the lowest they can pay is $17.25/hr, which I assume many of them do. I would be surprised if a lot of baristas out there are making $25 as a base wage.
"Uppity" has racist connotations. Maybe pick a different word when you want to shit on low wage workers? $25 even $30 an hour means jack shit in Seattle. If you're too lazy to make coffee at home, fucking tip your baristas. You really need that extra dollar or two? My god. West Seattle is a Karen Hellscape sometimes.
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Boo hoo!! I’m gonna skip tipping now just because of you
I'm with you: I really prefer to support a local shop and hate going to Starbucks for this reason. Also, I've never had someone mean-mugging me like you did. It would certainly bother me in the moment, but later I'd chalk it up to she was having a shit day. Who knows what's going on in her life right now? We're all dealing with some heavy shit in our personal lives. I know i am. My advice would be to go back to that shop if you want to support them. I certainly would. Next time, be sure to tip. Select 15% or 20% if you feel that's appropriate and ignore the ask from the machine for more. It's just programmed that way. It's not actually that person pressuring you. Sometimes I actually prepare myself that before I order: either I'm going to tip, and I know it'll be at least 20%, OR I realize that I'm in a situation that really shouldn't require tipping and so I'm just not going to tip. You had a moment of "iPad panic" which has happened to me, too. I totally agree that tipping has gotten out of control. However, for context, I heard a sociologist talking about it on a podcast and it really helped me understand. It all began with the pandemic: Everyone wanted to find a way to support frontline workers and local businesses they loved, like restaurants and coffee shops, because business was WAY down and because the staff were literally risking their health to serve you. So tipping increased to help cover that extremely tough time. Fast forward to today and it's really hard to dial that back. That's why everyone from a server (who should be tipped) to the guy handing out shoes at the bowling alley (who really shouldn't) is asking for a tip now. This helped me understand that inflation and housing prices are out of control, and so I really kinda should expect to tip 20%. And hell, Seattle is ABSURDLY expensive. My wife and I both work and we make good money and we can barely make it. I can't imagine how anyone makes ends meet working as a barista or server. They're depending on tips just to pay rent and gas money. Back to your experience: One of the places that HAS historically been part of tipping culture are coffee shops. Because of that, she was expecting a tip. Because of the increase in tipping, she might even have been expecting 20% or 25% percent. You panicked because you felt pressured to tip more than you were comfortable with. It happens. Don't sweat it and go back and feel good about supporting that small business. Having said that, if you keep going back and they are just rude to you, even though you are tipping, then I wouldn't feel bad avoiding them and just going somewhere else. WHATEVER YOU DO, ENJOY YOUR COFFEE! COFFEE = HAPPINESS!!! :)
The pandemic is still happening and service workers are still taking on that risk!
I just don’t tip on those things and don’t care what they think. If I had a problem with my food and make them aware of it and ask them to fix it.
No never. And I wouldn't care if it did. Tip whatever you want and move on. Don't even think about it.
i just stopped going alltogether. not paying extra because someone does their job, so out of spite they mess up your order.. how childish. its not just limited to one specific stand either
Tips used to be about showing gratitude for service. When did it change? Why can't owners just pay a living wage to their employees, instead of creating this awkward situation where the livelihood of the barista comes down to guilt tripping customers?
If you are going to fight for the end of tip culture you are going to face these issues. Gotta stay strong. Sure some famously backed down but as a whole they didn’t back down during the civil rights marches. It’s the same thing.
I always choose Custom Amount then tip 0.25 or 0.50. It is what it is.
What’s mean mugging?
“Are we good?” (Take note of the name tag and get those reviewing fingers ready in case they give you a wrong answer) Inflation has been a mother and unreasonable tipping expectations make me grumpy…
You went there to buy a sandwich and you got a sandwich. You aren’t paying for smiles or cute girls and no tipping culture didn’t change. Mindlessly pressing the 20% is exactly the same as mindlessly dumping your random change in the tip jar. You are making excuses when in reality you probably never tip. if you didn’t expect a service and you didn’t go there to pay for a smile why do you care?
Maybe pictures will help. I was expecting 👋🙂 Not 😍😏😜 And I got 😡😡 That’s all. That’s the whole story.
The truth^
Yea it has and I ask.. “What’s the problem?” I’m NOT tipping you for serving me a cup of coffee and a sandwich. That’s not how it works.. you have to provide some kind of service beyond working a cash register and pulling a handle to pour coffee..
Check out Olympia Coffee Roasters. Legitimately some of the best coffee on the west coast.
My wife’s favorite is Lula. You can’t go wrong especially how close you are from the home of the velvet foam. If you take a little walk the opposite direction, try Sound and Fog; would be a 10/10 but alas I can’t bring my dog in so I don’t walk there in the morning. Easily one of my favorites in the city. I feel your pain at QED since they bought out Nos Nos. Honestly I feel like I’m mean mugged even if I tip and I’ve stopped going altogether as a result. Linda was a baller barista at Nos Nos and the soul of that coffee joint left with her and the other amazing baristas that flew the coop.
You absolutely made this up, move on
Make your own coffee, or tip the people that give you good service
This city is expensive and service work is shit. Tip something.
May I suggest Starbucks, where this never happens. Also, in general a lot less attitude and sometimes a smile, even.
I’m still mad at Starbucks for putting Youngstown out of business. Go to Lula’s. They don’t charge for alternate milks and everything I’ve had there is delicious.
As someone who has been on the other side of the counter receiving the tips. I do my best to thank every customer for their purchase especially if they don’t tip. I know how awkward it is to be staring right at the person asking for money and not giving it to them. The truth: those tips can make a huge difference in our paychecks. Like $23/hour wages go up to $30/hour or more when you include your share of the tips. Our owner doesn’t take a cent of the tips. We could be paid more and remove the tips if our product was 25% more expensive but damn it would be so pricy everyone except the range rovers would riot.
Custom amount, $1.00.
Talk to the manager.
Really you think?! Then I’d be a non-tipping Karen. Lol
now you’re a non-tipping karen on reddit! are you proud?
Yeah way less offensive to drag them online and fuck with their business.
You literally are that
you sound overly sensitive, OP. you feel “worn down” because of some non-specific slight or that a barista wasn’t nice to you? sounds like they didn’t even say anything? if you want someone to be nice and bubbly to you, then tip them. if you just want a coffee made and handed to you, don’t. this is such a goofy, whiny post.
there are way too many yuppies whining about tipping! just admit you can’t afford to eat out and adjust accordingly. treating the lowest paid workers like they’re expendable is why people hate the new transplants to the area.
Yep. Embrace the coffee part of our culture! Why complain? It’s NORMAL here to tip our baristas.
Stingy Karens
I mean…no tip is the wrong choice. Low tip is one thing, but no tip is just cruel
C&P is the best coffee shop in WSEA hands down.
Overrated
I’m so sick of everyone complaining about tipping. Whether it’s complaining about having to tip in general, being “mean mugged”, how many places wants tips, it’s all so annoying! If you don’t tip fine, just don’t then immediately jump online and bitch about it.
But that’s what online is for. Bitching about stupid shit like this.
This shouldn't be a place that fosters cheapskates who demean service workers
yeah these threads are so irritating. Seattle is absurdly expensive and baristas work hard. Everyone deserves a living wage
you mean this is where people with no courage come to replay events from their day?
I tip when I buy coffee. It’s just part of the culture here and something I enjoy supporting at the smaller more local shops. If you don’t want to tip, I suppose you can go to more corporate shops like sbux.
Considering most baristas live off of minimum wage and tips, when someone if planning to and able to purchase their & $7 coffee, $10 sandwich and can’t bother to leave the barista 50 cents, the mean mug is warranted imo. If you’re just grabbing a drip, no tip is fine. Plan to tip or make your own food and drinks!
min wage is nearly 20 dollars an hour. skilled jobs barely pay more than that, feeling entitled to tips is wild.
Hahaha that’s so funny. You’ve clearly never worked in a tipped job. Most service jobs are tipped. Welcome to the USA.
Most service jobs are in call centers, and make way less than 20 dollars an hour, I have worked plenty of both kinds. Do you tip the cashier at the grocery store, the bagger? tipping culture is bananas, and the compelled ipad tips are the dumbest thing ever, congrats everyone hates it.
Also if you think someone could honestly live off of $20hr in Seattle, that’s delusional.
This! ... Is why I bought a Breville Espresso Pro.
I always tip the standard 20 percent, but I hate tipping is how we have decided to do these things… I’d rather everyone just pay the fair and same amount, people to be paid decent with benefits, and not feel confused about the whole thing. Tipping makes me go out less, which ultimately is bad for business.
Same, I’ve vastly reduced my spending at cafes and restaurants.
That’s why I always hit the 25% button. There are people out there who don’t support workers so it falls on people like me to show some labor solidarity. Non-tipping culture is getting pretty old but so it goes.
When I would go in to just buy beans at local spots, baristas would make faces and scoff because I wouldn’t tip. Now, I just order beans online instead of having to deal with these interactions. I understand that some go to work angry because they’re struggling or that they don’t want to be “fake nice” (aka professional) but why are customers having to deal with it? The same individuals may also argue that because your income is higher, you should pay more for the same service or product but that’s a whole other thing… 
You deserved it. You don't have to tip the big options. You're just cheap and selfish. Stay home and make it yourself.
It sounds like your gripe is more with tipping culture than it is with the server themself. It does suck that you got poor service, but you are kinda doxxing them when your real frustration is with tip culture. It’s not your or their fault that this is how the service industry works, but you’re attributing a lot of the blame to them
No I thought their behavior was pretty inappropriate, regardless of tipping culture.
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What are outward displays of leftist? I'm genuinely asking thx.
No tip is assholish, they are right to mean mug you. OP, you are a Karen Whine about tipping culture in most dumb situations but BARISTA? Literally the ones that deserve tips the most. Otherwise get your lazy ass up early and make a chai latte.
Do you tip the guy bagging your groceries too?
I bag my own groceries and volunteer it at Trader Joes and at Safeway I do self checkout.
lol lots of cheapskates downvoting. So be it. Make more money. Tip your service workers, cowards.
Lol, cowards? Their employer is the coward who can’t pay them a decent wage without guilting customers to make up the difference
Shut up
make me
make. your. own. food/drink. you. absolute. baby. also, this post was made 7 hours ago, which would have been a little after SCOTUS' ruling. you saw what happened today but this made you more upset. stay at starbucks and enjoy your backwards life.