I don’t know if this is specific to touristy destinations like Florida, but I’ve not come across this until recently.
I recently stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. To their credit, I had a comfortable stay there. When we got there, we enjoyed a late afternoon lunch at poolside restaurant. Towards the evening, we weren’t interested in a full sit down meal so we decided to order some light room service.
I’m not stranger to ordering room service for quick bites, often simply by calling. This time, there was a link I could use. I only wanted a pizza for the group and a cake for dessert. Easy enough, right?
Tipping for Kitchen Staff?
When I clicked through the order process, I got a prompt asking me if I want to tip the kitchen staff for excellence in service in preparing the food.
Uh, come again? I had to pause for a second. What is this? I have family members who worked in the service industry. I definitely don’t want to stiff anyone. We tend to tip decent (or standard) these days: 20% for service, and more if the service is superb. I have no problems with that. If I plan to eat out, I plan to tip. Otherwise, I’d go pick up the order myself.
So, I’m puzzled why there was even a prompt to tip the kitchen staff when they are just doing their JOB. It’s tacky, and even more so when coming from a high end hotel. I skipped it and continued with my order.
A $38 order ballooned to a bill of $55.
$24 for a pizza, $14 for chocolate cake for dessert. I expected food prices to be more expensive, that’s a given. I had some leftover food and beverage credit that would go toward the bill, so I was fine with that. I figured that would round up to about a $10 tip.
But when I got to payment payment page, I have a bill for $55. I then see the breakdown:
- $24 pizza + $14 Chocolate Cake = $38 subtotal
- Gratuity (built in at 24%): $9.12
- Service charge: $5.00
- Tax: $3.39
- Final Bill: $55ish.
OK, so they added the 24% gratuities into the bill. (It’s a good reminder for folks to pay attention to their bills so they don’t end up paying it twice). 24% for room service seems higher than normal. At most restaurants, I have seen gratuities built in at 18% if there are more than 6 guests in a party.
I looked at the fine prints and saw the breakdown: 18% to room service member, 6% goes towards administrative fee (what?), and a $5 service charge. Why is there another service charge on top of the administrative fee?
Since the gratuities is already built in, I admit that it felt a little off when the food is delivered. I’m so used to tipping when the staff makes the delivery. Should I give him a little extra? Is it rude not to when the hotel that took a cut of the gratuities for “administrative fee”? In the end, we didn’t. The gratuities is already built in at 24%, but I also felt bad since I’m used to tipping the person delivering the food. Ugh. That is clearly part of a phenomenon called guilt tipping.
Not wonder people about tired/confused with the tipping culture
In the morning, I simply decided to skip all the non-sense with the hotel options and ordered locally through doordash. I tipped the doordasher generously. The doordasher came on time and handed over my bag of food to me with a bright smile.
It also reminded me of another experience during the same stay, I grabbed two small bottles of 20 oz soda at the Muse (a little coffee/bakery shop) connected to sister hotel, Signia by Hilton. At the cashier, I had to click through the screen before swiping my card. There is a tipping prompt with the different percentages. For what? Ringing up the order?
I don’t mind spending more when I’m out traveling and for good service. However, I think prompting for tips (e.g. for kitchen staff, or when only ringing up an order) is out of control.
For businesses: Just because it is technologically possible to program the tipping prompt doesn’t mean that it is wise for businesses to do so. It’s very tacky to see those options when it’s not applicable and the cost is already built in.
For consumers: know your guilt tipping threshold or tendencies.
Would you have tipped the kitchen staff in this case? Or the cashier in this case? Have you run into any outrageous prompts for tips?
California and Colorado adding new line items such as Mandatory employee health surcharge!!! Depending on what state and county it is 3-5 % plus it is taxed. and then the tip…In colorado the tips are automatically 22 %.Chicago has done the same with mandatory 22-24% mandatory tips… It is getting totally out of hand esp in states and counties where the minimum wage is $18-$20!!!
Americans have created this monster and now it has gotten out of control. In Japan tipping is considered demeaning and offensive. In Europe you might round up an insignificant amount if paying cash. When paying with a credit card in Europe or anywhere else in the world tips are not expected.
Americans, and I am one of them, have ruined it for the rest the travelling world population.
When I am back in the States, I politely explain to the server that even though the service and food were good, I do not tip as a matter of principle.
In some upscale restaurants where you order $500 of wine and $70 steaks the waiters will cause a scene when not tipped on the total amount spent, their frown upon excluding the tax from the “tipable’ amount. Now these waiters can easily make $150k a year. There is no logical explanation to tip $100 on a $500 bottle of wine. The service provided is no different than when you order a $30 bottle. What I have done in those establishments is discreetly talk to the manager and tell them that I do not tip and it’s not a reflection on the quality of service or food. I also ask them to talk to the waiter and explain this to them and that I would not tolerate a tantrum.
Tipping is discretionary, I will not be forced to tip and I will not deny anyone the option to do so, if they wish.
I wonder why supermarkets and stores generally haven’t jumped on this shameless money grabbing practice yet? Obviously the cashier and the grocery bagger deserve something. But what about the guy who rounds up the shopping carts in the parking lot? How about an admin fee for the supermarket and another for the credit card company? What about the servers at the deli counter and the shelf stackers? Store detectives – they’re people too with families to feed? The truck drivers who deliver the food to the supermarket surely deserve to be included? This should be extended further to gas stations, traffic cops.
Give me Singapore any day.
Here in North Carolina I’ve seen it listed on the menu as “buy a round for the kitchen” as like a $5 item on the menu. Most egregious are the self-serve machines at some airports, like AUS and EWR in particular: who am I tipping if I checked myself out? I asked this question in a Hudson News and was told that it goes to the staff member who is present in the store watching the self check out units. Or rather, it is pooled and divided up by the union. Oh, and that person makes $24/hr per their union contract to start with.
Wow. I’ve not seen self-serve machine that asked for tips. That takes the cake.
In the case, I must admit that I did fall victim to the guilt tipping in that soda case. It wasn’t much, but I feel bad about tipping AND not tipping. That’s not all on the businesses to make changes. They COULD do away with unnecessary prompts, but at the of the day, it also falls squarely on me to examine why I fall victim to guilt tipping, and to condition myself to not think that way.
I am glad you asked that question. In those cases, I agree that no tipping is necessary at the self-serve options (or if you’re just paying cashier). If services are exceptional, I’m sure there is a tip jar around.
Abhorrent! The thing is they condition us a bit at a time to accept this. t should be against the law for them to sneak in administrative and service fees. This is like resort fees added separately.
Yes, transparency.
In all fairness, they did display the charges at the end of the bill, and the percentage breakdown is disclosed in the fine prints. So they are transparent about it in that way. I agree that they should do away with additional administrative/service fees and price it in the cost of business. With that hidden cost, it makes it harder for customers to compare options.
Good grief… I’d probably consider tipping the kitchen staff AFTER I ate the food… if that food was the best food I’d ever had in my life. What if you tip and the food was grim? Do you then get to ask for it back? Crazy. Those fees are all madness.
It’s funny you mentioned that. That was one of the thoughts that ran through my head when I saw the prompt. Aren’t I paying for the food already? And seriously, why would I tip for kitchen service when I don’t know if the food is any good? And also, why are they tacking on “gratuities” as part of the bill. So many questions.
And I just wanted to eat.
My gratuities would be based on the service and experience. If they show up with the food 3 hours later, would I adjust the gratuities? You bet I would (assuming I haven’t already cancel the order).
To the hotel’s credit, there wasn’t any issues with the room service itself. The room service staff was a professional, the food was delivered timely and everything was fine. I would have tipped him fine, but it was a little maddening to think they want to include “gratuity” before the actual service.
That’s despicable. I’m surprised that it wasn’t a Marriott that did this since hosing guests in new and creative ways is more of a goal than an avocation for them. Thanks for the heads up!
I can’t say I have much experience with Marriott since Marriott isn’t typically my hotel brand of choice. I know that they have some nice properties, though it sounds like there is a lot of nickel and dime-ing there. Yikes.
A Service Charge PLUS a 6% administrative fee??????? They should just call it what it really is: a Take Advantage of the Customer Fee. Despicable! If they want to make more money, just raise the price of the food. Playing games like this is despicable.
Agreed! I’d much rather that they price it in the cost of the food/service, so that customers can decide if they still want to order…