Tipping Culture enters Korea, is it acceptable? | Korean Pizza Club | EP.16

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Timestamps
00:00 Teaser
Korea might be pro-America on almost all matters, except maybe 3 things: Drugs, Guns, and TIPPING. American tipping culture has been getting out of control in the United States, where the standard has become 20-25%, according to several news sources and Americans. Ironically, the American tipping culture has been slowly infiltrating the Korean society. And we're not talking about small store owners putting up tip jars or recommending tips to their servers. The biggest tech conglomerate of South Korea, Kakao Corp. has introduced the tipping system to it's taxi services, similar to Uber. This has faced immediate backlash and rage from the Korean public. In today's podcast episode of Korean Pizza Club, we introduce the history of tipping in Korea, Korean viewpoints on tipping, and the panels Kelsey the Korean, Anna Lee, and Soobeanie share their thoughts about tipping culture and whether it will be adopted by the Korean society eventually. What are your thoughts about American tipping culture, and what is the situation related to tipping in your country?
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[@koreanpizzaclub]

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[@michaelgamas2399]

Tipping should be optional. Have a mandatory minimum wage that make one's suited to live.

[@sannmayy]

Exactly.

[@LG-rw6zf]

Problem is your cost to eat out will skyrocket. Restaurants aren’t going to reduce their profits to pay their workers. They will increase the meal prices.

[@ssibal.inu1]

@@LG-rw6zf yeah, after that possibly there is less business so the restaurant gets rid of many servers and replaces them with automation (streamlined order processes, robot servers, etc.).

[@LG-rw6zf]

@@ssibal.inu1 So true. Thing is they will stay raise the prices to pay for the technology. Here in the US, grocery stores are practically self-checkout. Prices went up, not down.

[@michaelgamas2399]

@@LG-rw6zf you meal cost should involve that. Dining out is expensive and knowing what you pay for beforehand should be the norm. This mandatory tipping is anti consumer, guilt tripping and non transparent.

[@golbinnom]

As a european, the us tipping culture stress me OUT. Dont import that bs to korea

[@ssibal.inu1]

korea is a vassal state of the usa though haha

[@thechieffect]

I love how American business owners are getting away with not paying their workers a living wage and now have passed the pressure to consumers.

[@ssibal.inu1]

restaurant profit margins are already low. if that were to happen, i think some restaurant owners would respond by firing most of the wait staff and replacing them with streamlined order processes, AI/chat gpt, kitchen automation, robot servers, etc.

[@Justinjale]

With the (cheap) labor shortage, most service jobs are paying above minimum wage before tips in my city right now. There's a nice place that pays $30/hr. With how high tipping has been lately too, I doubt service workers want to work at a place that doesn't accept tips. Someone I knew in was making $18/hr before tips while in high school.

[@aoh4905]

American business owner here. Very true and 😊 😃 😅

[@ChewieTomatoes1]

The US is ridiculous. Entitlement is a huge issue in US. I’m not just talking about the staff. I’m talking about the owners who don’t want to pay their staff so they want the customer to pay for everything.

[@Shelbzz]

Sometimes employees are desperate enough to be demanding though. Take the viral video where a DoorDash delivery guy cursed out a patron for giving 25% on a $20 purchase (that's a $5 tip). A 25% is fair for the purchase amount. What was the lady supposed to do, shell out a 50% tip for a $20 pizza? The US is so messed up.

[@natedang8880]

It’s a systemic problem… it’s not the owners that can decide…

[@ChewieTomatoes1]

@@Shelbzz it’s definitely both. Some owners and the staff have an insane sense of entitlement to a high tip despite mediocre food and service.

[@ChewieTomatoes1]

@@natedang8880 owners can pay higher minimum wages vs doing the incentive laden tip service. Waitering is not supposed to be a career job that gives you an upper middle class lifestyle.

[@golbinnom]

@@natedang8880 the owners can def decide lmfao they're the ones hiring and paying the workers. thats why they said in some korean restaurants in the us they dont do tipping

[@melliott3681]

Tipping history in America shows that it started because owners didn't pay their employees a decent living wage in the first place even if by law they should be paying a minimum wage. Even Americans shouldn't tolerate tipping, but most don't even realize what it stems from which is business exploitation of the employees and America is so bad at exploitation. If businesses paid their employees a decent living wage, tipping would be completely unnecessary, no matter the industry.

[@sedie94]

I live in America and I've worked as a server before (in college) and now I regularly tip servers because I know how little they get paid. I also wish they would just pay them a living wage and get rid of tipping. It's soooo expensive here already 😩

[@jennifervaughn1541]

I understand your heart, but it is not the customers responsibility. It is the company’s responsibility to pay the employees. The customer is already paying the company for their food and for the service but the company is pocketing the money that should be going to the employees and customers should not be the ones having to pay extra because of it.

[@sedie94]

@@jennifervaughn1541 yeah, that's why I said I wish they would pay the employees a living wage instead ❤️

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Yeah, even tho im against tipping, when you think of the servers, eventually you open your wallet :( The wage should definitely be higher, from what I'm seeing and reading.

[@ssibal.inu1]

@@koreanpizzaclub no guarantee the server actually ultimately receives the tip

[@GODjihyo99]

Whats so good about being a server that makes you wanna work there despite being paid less than minimum wg?

[@sunny.7.]

I'm an American living in Korea and got my first "would you like to tip your driver?" message from KakaoT last week. I was shocked. Tipping culture is one of the things I was so glad to leave behind 😭 I really hope it doesn't become widespread 😭

[@shoppinprncss85]

I'm American and when I used to waitress/bartend, I was paid below minimum wage. The employers logic is if the service is good and you hustle that the tips will balance out your pay. However some bartending places make you share tips so then you have to work extra hard because now you're compensating for those that don't work as hard and still get an equal cut. It's stupid, and the whole tipping culture is getting outta control here. They really just need to pay on base line wage across the board.

[@jackthomas6347]

In the UK where you have those self-service machines in supermarkets/stores, those machines prompt you to tip when you buy groceries. who tf am I tipping? its a self service machine my dude I never even saw another human.

[@queenofpents3442]

Lol

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Wow that's on a different level!

[@heidig.5053]

That's ridiculous! that you tip a chunk of metal!

[@Kumulmeskis]

They normally ask you if you want to round the amount and leave some change for the charity. That’s where it goes.

[@kurzweber3041]

Let's be honest, using self service machines means that you're paying the shop to do someone's job! Tipping is for exceptional service. Having a robot go beep is not exceptional service.

[@zakithitwala2203]

Im in South Africa, and even though we do tip here, it's NOT by force. The tipping culture in America is CRAZY. From Watching it as an African, these servers and delivery people seem entitled to people's money. They throw tantrums when they don't get tips. It's crazy. The customer's responsibility is to pay for the food. Wages should be paid for by the business owner but for some reason the business owners get off easy and the customers get the flack for not tipping. Businesses need to start paying livable wages. Another great episode guys👍🏾❤️

[@kimleemoon]

Tipping is not by force or mandatory in America either. These people don’t know what they’re talking about. They don’t live in America.

[@queenofpents3442]

Not by force but definitely peer pressure.

[@krystavi05]

Only certain restaurants (sit down types) include an 18% tip to your meal when there is a party of 6 or more. Most everything else is optional. My solution: stop going to those restaurants that force include a tip when the party is big and NEVER use those delivery services where people expect tips (including uber). Luckily, I live in a place where owning a car is both necessary and easy (easy parking, decent traffic, etc). I'll pick up my own darn takeout and tip myself lol.

[@tulippenoire]

​@@kimleemoonExactly! The only service people that really depend on tips are waiters, car washers, food delivery people. Everyone else gets the minimum wages or higher and you have a choice not to tip them. Like anywhere with a tip jar, I say no.

[@danielakoff6321]

I’m not gonna lie, I came to the comments to see the Americans opinions on this. I’m Brazilian, have been going to the US since I was a child. Tips always bothered me, last year when I went to Vegas to see BTS, I was shocked with the counter services asking for tips, also the starting point in the tablets being so high, sometimes people ask for tips BEFORE servicing you. What?? And what happens if you don’t tip? Are they going to spit in my coffee? Craziness all around. When my vacation time came in October I decided to go to Italy, this year will be Japan. I’m not going back to US anytime soon (and Canada got infected with the tipping virus too).

[@koreanpizzaclub]

FRL tipping itself just makes you not want to visit the US! haha

[@heidig.5053]

If you don't tip, they might not spit in your coffee, but you'd be stamped immediately as "cheap" and they won't be friendly to you anymore. I strongly believe "friendliness" should be part of the job and not for monetary gains.

[@danielakoff6321]

@@koreanpizzaclub Absolutely! 😆 It makes a difference in a travel budget for sure. Specially when you come from a Country that has weaker currency. Brazilian money is almost 5 to 1 dollar. And I think you guys can relate: when you come from a place that doesn’t have this costume, you fell explored, ad to that the constant worrying about should I tip here? When? How much? It just makes your vacation stressful and expensive. So many other great places to visit without that added annoyance…

[@danielakoff6321]

@@heidig.5053 That’s so backwards. It’s hard for foreigners to understand this guys. Politeness and niceness should be part of the job of servicing people. Not something you need to buy with tips.

[@GODjihyo99]

Nice! Do many beautiful countries out there, why choose the us??

[@sonofsarek]

Tipping in the US was at 15% for a very long time. The only reason it went up to 20% was because the restaurant business association lobbied to increase the tipping rate to 20% so they wouldn’t have to pay their staff as much. One argument for the tipping culture is the improved customer service since the staff are essentially their own business. I would prefer to limit tips to 10% max.

[@danielakoff6321]

Yes. In Brazil there’s a standard 10% tip that comes with the bill, there’s no getting out of it. Anything extra is only given in VERY VERY exceptional situations, when you have a truly magical moment. It’s not expected at all.

[@tonyaschuder1163]

American, and am soooo done with tipping. Overkill to the max. Can no longer afford services or eating out because of tipping being expected 😡🤬

[@koreanpizzaclub]

I feel you :(

[@JACKIE79238]

Tipping should not be mandatory/ forced, manipulated or gaslighted in any way. Fear of being judged is ego so let go of ego and societal pressure and only tip, when you wish to.

[@golbinnom]

but sometimes the workers mess with your order if you comeback to the same place and they remember you didnt tip (like literally spitting in your coffe). in the us the responsability is put in the costumer, not the owner so you're seen as bad person if you dont tip

[@krystavi05]

​@golbinnom and sometimes servers or cooks will mess with your food regardless because they are complete scumbags, whether you tipped or not. I knew a boy in high school who admitted to peeing in the pizza dough of the pizza place he worked at... just because he could. You never know what people do or are going to do to your food.

[@golbinnom]

@@krystavi05 EWWW thats seriously sooo disgusting, i dont know how people can do that without feeling guilty. id rather just cook at home damn..

[@koreanpizzaclub]

It's so hard to let go of ego and societal pressure as an 'I' tho~ :(

[@JACKIE79238]

@@koreanpizzaclub Ego is fear and Fear is ego. Both are low vibe devil energy. Fear of being judged, what people will say, how people will think and view you. Let go of those fears, what other people think or say doesn’t matter coz it doesn’t define who you are.

[@joycewright3136]

As an older American, I am getting used to clicking on No Tip. It doesn’t bother me anymore. I have bills to pay. Corporate fat cats are making us little people fight over the crumbs. Not going to do it.

[@ssibal.inu1]

but think of all the single moms, middle school dropouts, and unemployed actors who rely on your tips to buy their vape pods

[@justpeachy3616]

Same. Tipping is optional and meant to show gratitude for good service. I don’t feel shamed into it by a stupid kiosk / iPad. What annoys me is if the employee then makes a comment about it as if I OWE them a certain amount. Such entitlement… 😑

[@heidig.5053]

Greetings from Munich, Germany! Glad you covered this topic because tipping stresses me out. In Germany, it's not mandatory to tip. If people tip, it's about 3 to max. 6%. But in the States, it's become out of hand. Just as David said, this also happened to me in the States. Once I didn't tip because the waiter was rude. And he actually ran after me and asked, "Did I do something wrong?" For me tipping SHOULD BE something above and extra. It's to motive good service. If it's become mandatory, tip should just be incorporated in the price, right?

[@krystavi05]

You did the right thing with that server. I have a friend who starts with a tip in mind. Every time that server messes up or is rude, she deducts from the tip (in her head). Tipping used to be called gratuity - as in graciousness, a gift freely given, not something by force. I hate what it's become in the US.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Didn't know they tip in Germany! Interesting! Oh, and yeah for sure if the server is rude, then why would they expect you to tip!

[@tymeamora]

@@koreanpizzaclub As a rule, Germans are pretty tight with their money so if they tip, most people will round it up to the nearest whole number for small purchases/services, like say under 5 euros bill, some will add one euro on top of it for bills over 10 euros and the most generous will add up to 5 euros if they eat out with several companions and they order a lot. If the server is rude or the food is lacking, you will politely let them know in which case they can forget about the tip.

[@flyingjanaderbuntewahnsinn1376]

10% tips is common sense in germany&france. You just don't tip if the server is really unkind. I worked as a server when i was doing school&afterwards. It was very rare not to get 10%. If you give les you will appear as a person who is not very generous and not friendly.

[@heidig.5053]

@@flyingjanaderbuntewahnsinn1376 Oh, really? Perhaps I'm not current with the tipping norm, but my husband and I rarely tip over 5 to 6%. Still, even the restaurants that we frequent, the servers are never cross with us or "unfriendly" because of it.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Minimum wage in Korea is 9,620 KRW (2023) = 7.37 USD (Aug, 23)

[@jmbaug1229]

😳 in Seoul too? 😨😰

[@ssibal.inu1]

people need to just upskill if they don't want to be poor

[@golbinnom]

so same as in spain and we still dont tip

[@TizzyB23]

I’m American and I don’t agree with tipping. I think it should be optional. Now they include it in the total of your meal and they still expect you to tip extra. The problem also is that America is greedy. Everything has to be extravagant from food to homes to groceries. It’s insanely expensive here in America.

[@aliciameetsworld]

As an American, US tipping culture is crazy. If a restaurant can’t afford to pay their employees a living wage, how is it acceptable to push the cost down to the customer.

[@jennychong5217]

I totally agree with you David! I live in America (Hawaii) and I think tipping culture is getting out of hand! The cost of living in paradise is already super high and to feel pressured into tipping someone just because it’s suggested is ridiculous!

[@mino4965]

I’ve heard about how hard the life of hawaiian is. People there have to work at least 2 jobs to afford their cost of living beacuse the housing prices are so expensive. I went on a vacation there in april and I felt people there are so nice and heart warming even tho they have to work for long hours

[@ssibal.inu1]

Gotta extract every penny from the tourists

[@GODjihyo99]

​@@mino4965are native hawaiians ok, are they getting pushed out or not?

[@LukeHartman-ro7hl]

​@GODjihyo99 if the government keeps manufacturing these fires, nobody will be living in Hawaii.

[@tmsuter2186]

Tipping is out of control in the US. I feel like it is being forced upon us despite the service and that sucks. When asked at grocer for charity i say no i donate to my own charitys independently. The tipping culture got weird after Covid, now i see it everywhere.

[@sharaineroberts8537]

I am so glad about this subject. Tipping cultural sucks. I am American and tipping cultural became insane during the pandemic because the delivery drivers had to work outside. Then when places started started to open up companies started ask the public to pay extra for service workers. Not only that but theses companies pool the tips and split among the servers. Even if a server sucks. As an NYER I only tip if service is good. Before and after pandemic. I also researched restaurants and if tipping is included on the receipt I avoid like the plagued. Also if service is bad to let the server know you would tip a penny. So the server knows you have money be were not happy

[@heidig.5053]

Good for you! Workers EXPECT tip these days and practically "priced in" in their wages. And that's how employers get people to work at minimum wage!

[@roter13]

While I think that Korea could follow America's example in some areas, in this aspect, please keep things how they are.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

All of Korea agrees with you!

[@roter13]

@@koreanpizzaclub I hate tip culture. I was literally asked to tip at a freaking drive thru...I said no. I hope that they didn't spit in my food.

[@GODjihyo99]

Example? What kind of example could you get from that horrible place?

[@iizaarose]

Agree!!!!

[@marwasaid7802]

I would like to speak on behalf of Middle East countries, and Arab Countries especially. TIPPING is optional. You are never pressured to give tips. You can eat at any restaurant, whether cheap or an expensive one and give no tips. It’s totally fine. But most restaurants do have like small tipping cups right there in the cashier, and it’s up to you if you want to put some tip or not. And the menu price is exactly the final price.

[@sailorpoon]

“how do people live in america” not well, baby. not well 😭

[@ssibal.inu1]

i would guess most people rarely eat out. they just cook their salt and pepper seasoned food at home

[@jeshightower4954]

AMEN! It’s the worst

[@koreanpizzaclub]

God Bless America

[@Lizbeth1203]

Ikr?!

[@emcara6334]

Tipping culture is getting out of control now in the US. So many services are adding a feature where they ask you if you want to leave a tip. If they just raised minimum wage, tips wouldn’t be necessary. Rounding up is also popular in grocery stores. They have an option where you can round up your purchase and the money goes to charity. People don’t seem to feel as pressured when it comes to rounding up their purchase, compared to tipping.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Such a complicated problem! Rounding up is something new to me, but that sounds very unfair!

[@icingcake]

I don’t pay for random charities - I pay for charities I already want to give money to.

[@lcsh77]

There’s tipping culture in Canada too. I don’t usually cook when I’m travelling but when I was travelling in Canada (BC and Alberta), I did because I just find it so ridiculous to be paying an additional 20-25% at least for tips ON TOP of the TAXED amount.

[@johncharles6699]

I have never tipped any hotel for room services here in America, if you look at your itemized receipt the majority will tell you it’s included and the ones that don’t it has the option to add room services and it’s usually extra.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Phew, then maybe I didn't have to tip the cleaner. Now I feel a little better!

[@karenbarlow9431]

I believe it’s absolutely standard to tip the cleaning crew at motels, I would think Hotels would be the same.

[@justpeachy3616]

The tip in hotels is for the cleaning crew. But you aren’t guaranteed the same cleaning crew every day, if you’re staying multiple days, so generally it’s recommended to leave a tip on days you have housecleaning come in.

[@tonyaschuder1163]

Tipping does not up the service quality. It's American and that sense of entitlement is STRONG

[@BellaDantas]

In Brazil there is a 10% tip that is already on the receipt. It's not mandatory and you can ask to exclude the 10% tip, but people only do that if the service is really bad

[@darbiken]

In some states, employers can pay as little as $2.13 an hour if you're a tipped worker. And it's just an ugly cycle of legitimizing that low a minimum wage because of customers tipping, and then customers tipping because we know that's where servers get their money. :( I care to tip for waiters and delivery drivers to make a decent take home pay, but I'm as unbothered an Anna when I get the tip options for take out. 😭

[@IshtarNike]

12:50 sadly in the UK it's becoming more and more common to include an "optional" service charge of like 12% on the bill. This is basically a semi mandatory tip. It's included without mention. It means that if you don't want to tip you need to specifically ask for it to be removed. That means they have to go away and print a fresh bill. Naturally most people find this too awkward so they just get away with it. It's very annoying.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Thanks for sharing what it's like in the UK! Yikes tho!

[@soo_uh_sidedish6225]

Born and raised in the U.S, i don't consider it a big deal as a customer. If i don't have the money to tip, I just don't go out. I got used to considering the tip and taxes when deciding if i have enough money to go out or not.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Very interesting!

[@alperry02]

Exactly

[@nancybravo6899]

As an American, I think restaurants should adjust the prices on their menu to account for enough money to pay their staff a wage that is comparable to the level of service they are providing to customers. Why do restaurants owners 1) pay less than fair wages 2) expect patrons to bridge the gap. Pay the employees what they deserve. I am willing to see a higher dollar amount on the menu (that includes tip) to avoid having to calculate an additional amount that I will have to add in after the bill.

[@cawilson]

Minimum wage is less than $8 in a lot of states. A lot of states have a minimum wage of $7.25. A waiters’s minimum wage can be as low as $2.13 but if they don’t make enough in tips to equal the regular minimum the restaurant is required to pay the waiter the rest. It really is a way for the restaurant to be more greedy and not have to pay their employees.

[@queenofpents3442]

I just cane from Starbucks and bought a Carmel Frappuccino like $5 and the machine ask if i wanted to tip. Absolutely not. Tipping to me is optional and you have to earn. I tip out of gratitude but i don't like when places expect it. Also the fact companies who don't pay their employees enough so they rely on tips is so wrong in so many ways. So I hope Korea doesn't adopt tipping culture. We don't have the best practices just because were the US.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

In all of the places, Starbucks? Hell no! haha

[@amc_love8634]

I live in Florida and it's crazy how minimum wage is 8 dollars an hour but lunch is 20+ dollars. Make it make since please 🙃

[@upthedown1]

Minimum wage in New York is $15 right now.

[@amc_love8634]

@@upthedown1 well Florida is the joke of all states 🥴

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Florida!

[@amc_love8634]

@@koreanpizzaclub sadly i live in a state that is a laughing stock compare to other states 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@chai_lattes]

My family took a cab to my grandmother's house (Gangnam to Incheon) for around $50. It was sooo worth it. A comfortable 90 min drive vs 2 hour commute on public transportation where seats are not guaranteed. And when you divide the cost per person, it's fairly comparable, sometimes more affordable depending on how big your party is. And 1000% tipping culture is the US is bananas😱

[@IshtarNike]

Definitely a bad idea. Tipping took off because it allows business owners to pay their staff a sub-minimum wage. Very few other countries do this and they still have good restaurants and good service. I don't need "cheaper" food if I'm expected to tip 20% every single time anyway. It's a self defeating enterprise. Not to mention that it puts workers incomes at highly variable rates. Many servers swear by it because it can give them a decent (relative to other minimum wage jobs) income, but it's still not better than having proper minimum wage laws across the board. A minimum wage set by the states and pegged to inflation is the best option.

[@sonofsarek]

19:30. Marijuana would be safer than alcohol currently is for Korea. The idea that it is a “gateway drug” is antiquated propaganda from the 1960s. I don’t partake in either, but statistically speaking, alcohol is much more dangerous.

[@eugenekim9961]

Not just statistically but also biologically. Alcohol is one of few drugs where withdrawal symptoms when addicted can kill you.

[@sonofsarek]

@@eugenekim9961 and I don’t think last year’s Halloween stampede happens if people are chilling out in their apartments high on pot. Alcohol brings DUIs, alcohol poisoning, violence, assault, disorderly conduct, unwanted pregnancies, etc. People who smoke pot mostly just smell bad and are lazy.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

The 'gateway' mentioned in the podcast was termed as in a gateway for importing and adopting the culture little by little, rather than the 'gateway theory' of marijuana users leveling up to stronger drugs. I know its not a gateway drug, but the mass majority of Koreans think it is, like it or not. And they don't care about the science(they also argue that particular researches cannot fully debunk it, and that human nature of curiosity and addiction is stronger than scientific results. Also point out that cultural factors in the studies are probably not weighed in as well). In general, Koreans just don't want ANY form of something in a 'harmful' category such as: drugs, firearms, tipping, etc. introduced to their country in the first place. (And then comes the BUT alcohol is way worse than weed~ there's already drug problems in Korea~.. same old circulating debate. But the truth is it's going to take a LONNNNNGGG time for Korea to accept marijuana)

[@AileenTownsend]

I'm from CA and just visited Seoul this summer. It was so relaxing not worrying about tipping while on vacation. It was against my nature and I kept confirming with my husband that we're not offending the drivers and servers by not tipping 😂 Since the use of the electronic pay options on the store ipads, the request for tips on everything including drinks etc has gotten ridiculous. I am ok with tipping on restaurant service because we're used to it. We know that waitstaff struggle with basic wages in proportion to cost of living in US. Also, Americans are used to small talk from our servers. It's the American way :) When we travel and don't experience friendly service, we appreciate the cultural difference even if we're not used to it. We don't take offense. Restaurant owners taking from the tip jar and not paying minimum wage is not normal or legal! If a business is operating legally they cannot do that. But yes, we do tip hotel housekeeping. At this point, I am getting used to selecting the "no tip" option on drinks. It pains me to hear that David had such a lousy eating vacation in the OC! There's so much good food in the OC and you were eating frozen burritos 😭

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Welcome to the land of NO TIPS!

[@karenbarlow9431]

I am from CA too. (Annnd a little jealous you got to visit Korea😉) I agree with everything you’ve said!

[@AileenTownsend]

@@karenbarlow9431 It was wonderful. So much fun, delicious food, and a lively city with more to discover (hopefully another trip someday). I hope you get a chance to visit too!

[@tubenoober]

I’m in America, and one time I went through a drive thru to only purchase a gift card…. and the worker asked if I wanted to provide a tip!! Can you believe that?? Tipping in the US has been waaay out of control for a while now.

[@jennifervaughn1541]

You do not want to get that tipping started in South Korea. put an end to it. I live in America and I will say that I hate tipping. And now they are wanting you to tip on just about anything . I will not tip on takeout.

[@Lizbeth1203]

Subway wanted $1 tip on a discounted $5.99 sub I bought today to pay "the sandwich artist", & I couldn't even get curb service. Please, make it make sense?!

[@komalpandey2409]

For me as an Indian its very shocking how eating out on a daily basis is so so normal in Korea coz in India its a thing either for special occasions or when u just could not cook. We might get some evening snacks or breakfast items but after that we are gonna have lunch or dinner which will be a home cooked meal

[@vaanshichauhan9868]

True takeouts are so common in Korea that's why online services for food or anything is just so into culture

[@koreanpizzaclub]

I would say eating outside in Korea is very convenient and relatively affordable as long as you don't go to fancy restaurants. Especially for a one-person household, that can't afford to buy groceries in big bulks, sometimes eating out is even cheaper and gives you variety too! Same for delivery, but nowadays the delivery fee is very high, so many people just walk and do take-out to save the costs.

[@LostNTranslations]

In the US, theres two types of minimum wage. As a waitress I used to make 2.25/hour. That was minimum for a tipped wage. In fact, the only reason they even pay that much is so the government can take taxes out. So the tips are really allllll we got. Honestly, if all food service workers were paid a desent, livable wage, you're looking at a $50 steak, so our income is basically by a "suggested donation." 😅😅😅Then we're all like "Please like me" without actually screaming it.

[@valentinab164]

In my city, in Italy, the most common minimum wage part-time summer job is the waiter, the second one is being the guy who picks up tomatoes in the fields. One would be tipped and the other wouldn’t. Secondly, every single person on this planet deserves to earn enough money to eat, buy an house and have a family, that was European culture, that’s why we pay taxes, we have free healthcare, we have payed vacations, maternity leave and all

[@mariapaulacadena865]

Here in Costa Rica (A small country from Latin America) tipping was a cultural thing, a moral thing and it eventually became a Law. When you’re eating out the bill already includes the tip. It isn’t a big amount, maybe like 5%

[@jeshightower4954]

The us doesn’t have the tax included in the menu price. 😮 I literally hate it lol ㅋㅋㅋ

[@janvdb9258]

I'm originally from the Netherlands and outside of Amsterdam, nobody tips, service workers are paid well. The tipping culture in North America went rabid during the Covid pandemic. Everyone was so concerned about restaurants surviving that they started "highly recommending 15 to 20 percent" as a tip for take out, nobody was dining in at this point. Restaurants rely on alcohol a lot but obviously you couldn't serve but some jurisdictions, like mine, allowed take out liquor but owners tried to get that loss back through tipping. The pandemic is over now and most experts say DO NOT TIP ON ANYTHING YOU DIDN"T TIP BEFORE. Why should you tip for a starbucks coffee that takes a few seconds to pour? DO NOT TIP FOR TAKE OUT! You are not getting service, you are picking up a product. Do we tip the workers at the factory who make our tv dinners? no, we pay for the product. The US has major poverty issues with service workers but some make so much money, if you are a waiter in NY, you can make over 100k and a lot of it is cash so you don't claim the income or pay tax on it. Owners should pay their workers. Personally, I pay for things online, it is easier to decline a tip online before you get there than in front of someone but these restaurants and businesses are relying on you being embarrassed to get extra money out of you for no service. Grocery stores always ask for a donation to charity but that is a tax write off for the stores who already don't pay taxes. DO NOT TIP!!!

[@alientokki613]

so interesting!! i actually just looked up the minimum wage in my country, and turns out it has one of the highest minimum wages in the world - $23.23 australian dollars/$15 USD an hour. tipping culture isn’t prevalent at all in australia and VAT is included in all prices. if a coffee is $3, then it’s just $3. i never carry cash with me, or even a wallet because i can just pay using my phone anywhere. some restaurants on their point-of-sale machines when going to pay after a sit-down meal do ask if you want to leave a tip, but honestly, i feel like that’s just more of the default settings of the machine than anything else. and when it comes to services, you don’t either, and you don’t need to tip drivers . i feel like it’s also just aussie culture - i ain’t paying more than for what i’m getting tyvm hahaha. big culture shock when travelling overseas, like there’s apps to calculate tips? wild

[@erwinirwin9616]

As a server in America, I need my tips to survive. Even if they paid me minimum wage I would not be able to afford to live in any apartment. I make more than minimum wage with my tips. In my restaurant I have to tip my busser and my bartender, so if you didn't tip me I still have to tip my other co-workers.

[@danielakoff6321]

That’s crazy to me. This system is 🤯

[@raysjIV]

There are lots of restaurants that have no tipping and they don’t make you feel bad. Panera, chipotle, cava (restaurants that are small step above fast food). Also, eating out a lot is not good for you especially in America with giant portions. You can pick up an order if you really crave specific restaurant but don’t wanna tip 20%. You are still expected to tip pick up but it’s not as expensive. Also, just because they suggest 25% percent you don’t have to do that.

[@krystavi05]

Yup, that's the way to do it in the US!! Hopefully David sees this before his trip.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Next time I am only going to these restaurants!

[@maryelizabeth5393]

One of the worst tipping incidents I've seen was at a Korean BBQ. They had an underage worker (legally), and they paid her min wage, which in indiana is 7.25 (unliveable wage), and they demanded tip. But they took the tip from her even though she was our waitress. They also put extra "taxes" on our meal which ended up coming out to 11% when it's only 7% in this state. I was honestly so shocked. When the girl got off, I gave her a tip outside.

[@geckojinn1604]

Quentin Tarantino's first movie "Reservoir Dogs" has a scene in the beginning where the topic of tipping is discussed, why some people are for it and why some are against it. That movie came out in like 1990 or something, so it's been a hot topic issue for a while. At the end of the day, most people can't afford to tip.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

A person of culture!

[@zer0_cool]

If you have a problem with tipping in the US blame the industry/business owners they're the ones not paying full wage to staff, it's just another way to turn the people getting shafted against each other while ignoring where the real money goes. The cost of living in cities like LA/NYC is insane now, why the tipping has gone up in those areas.

[@RavenDots115]

Yes. It saddens me when people attack the employees about tipping-especially working in restaurants in LA or cafes. You get a lot of international customers that would complain about it and I would get used to them not tipping. Or they would leave like 10%. For the American customers that complain I had less patience with them because they grew up knowing it’s this way and they still act like they didn’t know just to tip less or nothing at all. It does make you look at the customers differently. You can feel the rudeness of them not tipping for whatever reason. You’re thankful for the people that respect the tipping rule and tips you fairly. Lowkey I would think “wow if you don’t want to tip then eat at home”. Cuz how can you afford to eat out but then get broke out of nowhere when the tip option comes in. It’s not the employees’ fault but it also does hurt us when people don’t tip for personal, cultural or political reasons. At that moment we really don’t care for the reasons, we just notice that we could’ve gotten a nicer customer that actually tips and doesn’t complain to us about it. The companies and corporations should be where you go leave a complaint email-not to the server, ever. For example David said it himself he just removed himself by cooking at home or going to the convenience store. That’s what I do when I’m broke. But when I go out I already plan to tip. Even to my Starbucks drink because I had friends who worked for Starbucks and it’s stressful to deal with that many people every minute and then rushing you to have every drink ready at the speed of light. Just cuz they didn’t carry a boulder doesn’t mean that they didn’t break a sweat preparing drinks. I even tip my street vendors in LA because they need it the most. I always saw how it hurts the employees and if people want it to change they gotta go protest or something. People need to stop giving employees a hard time about it.

[@KiritoHamiltonKPop]

As African American we do love to tip employees for their kindness and professionalism sometimes.

[@uliana649]

I think US Tipping culture even entered Germany, at least this is what I experience here in Berlin. Not that frequently but I definitely noticed it when I have to pay with card. I always tip but this mandatory tipping got me feeling bittersweet about it

[@yoflor6412]

BTW, the tips are taxed. The IRS keeps close tabs on tips. Most tips are divided amongst all servers working that shift. For this reason, the servers prefer cash tips.😂

[@tinyrick6264]

I’ve been in Hospitality my entire life. The way it works is servers get paid less than minimum wage. However, with tips a good server can walk away with 2 or 3 hundred dollars a shift. Especially in franchise restaurants like Cheesecake Factory etc.

[@theintthu2560]

Last minute David and kalsey are so funny af 😂

[@koreanpizzaclub]

If you are enjoying the Korean Pizza Club podcast please help it continue by supporting on www.patreon.com/koreanpizzaclub Get early access, exclusive podcasts and more upcoming perks by supporting! Thank you so much :)

[@yannickjohn6930]

Just tip occasionally, around 10%. $25 smoothie + tip ($2), I don't know why a single smoothie should be that price. Don't go overboard with the tip and see if you're a regular or not, if you love the food or not, comment around the food, it depends. Don't freak out and obsesses too much, but don't be too lenient.

[@melissa-ut5fk]

In the US, tipping is necessary because the waiters are paid a miserable wage and all americans know this. They don't do this to make more money, they're literally trying to get the same wage another waiter from europe or asia would make.

[@Caroleenakoreaadventures]

It's kind of cute how nervous David is about tipping. It's not that big of a deal. And also you should tip 15-20 percent if you make a difficult take out order or starbucks order. But sometimes the percentage doesn't matter. Sometimes you can just give them a dollar or two for take out if you want to be nice. Or if you and a friend go somewhere and don't order so much food, then you can each just leave a five on the table.

[@Lunaluna0812]

I love 4 of you talking about all those controversial topics! It’s really making a good points!❤

[@DKDKTV]

Danny exposed XD 37:16

[@chanmer1]

I don't want David to be sad so I had to comment. One of my favorite things about Korea (and other countries) is the no tipping policy. In NY an average tip would be 20% (before tax - never tip on the bottomline total). But that can vary depending on the situation. If the service was below par I will lower the tip to 15%. I don't tip at quick service places. They put the tip option in to every computer and now people feel pressured to tip on everything - don't feel pressure. Because of all this several chefs in NY have decided to do away with tip and just incorporate that percentage into the price of the meal. So no additional tip but it will look like your meal costs more at the get go.

[@MissMaris2016]

My favorite group!!!! They could talk about cheese for 45 minutes and I’ll still listen😂

[@luyingzhou3181]

In west coast there are more and more restaurants charge 20% tip as service charge in the bill beforehand, then give you the option to tip extra lol, it's crazy

[@OneRandomVictory]

Tipping is just an excuse for people to not pay their workers a reasonable wage. And several times the tips don't even go to the employee.

[@sherry41576]

it is the financial platform small and medium businesses are using that have it set up for tips. During the pandemic our cash society switched over to digital for most businesses. It initially surprised me with the option to tip was presented when it was never customary to tip with takeout and now I am seeing it pop up with the option in places one would never consider tipping.

[@tamiwilliams8521]

I've always been a good extra tipper. I have a great appreciation for wait staff and restaurant workers. It's hard work and something I would not be good at. So if good service I give a bit more than 20%.

[@fightmebtch]

But isn't that the point of a job? It's hard work for everyone?

[@lilyrose302]

@@fightmebtchyou shouldn’t have to work back to back double shifts to try and live. That’s a weird mindset to have that all jobs should have to be hard and miserable

[@lilyrose302]

When I worked in a restaurant in the US servers only made about $2 a hour and the restaurant just hoped that with tips the servers would at least be at minimum wage because if they didn’t get enough tips to hit the minimum wage of like $8/9 at the time then the restaurant themselves would have to pay them the difference.

[@duduzilemelodysimelane7034]

In south africa there was a time wen waitering stuff relied only on tips with no salary and it has always been 10%,it hasnt gone up in years. Now there is hourly wage which is R26 per hour and gratuity is not mandotory but its expected..some people tip 10%,some dont ,some put more depending on how happy they are about their service. as someone who have worked in the industry i can say that those tips helps a lot...usually the salary will only cover your rent but the tips helps with rest tips paid in cards ,the shop owner takes a certain percentage to cover their bank charges ..some places pay those tips weekly or monthly depending on the agreement between the parties involved

[@ChristinaLloren]

Not sure if this is in other states but in Chicago some restaurants add 4% onto every bill to cover staff health insurance

[@savage1510]

In Ontario, Canada, the average waitress wage is $13.78 an hour. Most places the waitress or waiter can keep their tips. Also, in some restaurants, all the tips are added then distributed amongst the wait staff plus the kitchen staff. If you don't tip, it's frowned upon but you do not have to tip. I tip according to the service I receive. Aside from the service industry, Minimum wage is $15.50 an hour. In October of 2023, the minimum wage is supposed to increase to $16.55 an hour. However, the price of food, gas and anything our crooked government can increase, many people do not get any further ahead. I know some people that don't tip at all anymore since the constant increase in food prices and household bills

[@IOMA888]

I love Anna’s gb accent, it’s so cute

[@karenbarlow9431]

I just wanna say I LOVE KPC! Tipping is outrageous in the US, I totally agree. I think the reason it’s become so prevalent is the software for checking out has the tipping feature. I work in a fabric store and our checkout software cues the customer to tip. Generally no one does though. I recently went to a chain fast food for the first time in years and their checkout screen cued for a tip and I did not tip. Also I don’t think the server’s screen shows you’ve tipped or not. Their screen just shows if the transaction is complete. Stay strong, don’t let the tipping culture grow!

[@karenbee4014]

I live in the US and totally think that tipping should be optional and employers need to pay a fair wage. I have found that since food and restaurant prices have increased, we have stopped eating out as much.

[@jcruz2255]

I don't mind tipping if the service deserves it, like a difficult custom order or a delivery being far. Basically if it takes EXTRA effort and I want to show my appreciation. It should ALWAYS be optional. Being in America, I have to deal with tipping screens for literally just entering the door of a place, even if I'm picking it up myself. And I blame this on the business owners not paying a fair wage and passing on the cost to consumers, in the guise of tipping.

[@davidohara6549]

So maybe someone can answer a question for me. I was recently in Korea. I had read a bit about the culture and didn't generally tip except something little like a cab and just basically saying keep the change so the driver didn't have to sort out coins. However I found a nice bar near my hotel that I liked and the staff were really cool and friendly. My Korean is really bad , just a few badly sounding phrases. I was by myself at the bar { it was a bar not a restaurant ) but the staff would always stop and talk to me and not in a way that seemed forced. we had some good talks and laughs. It became my go to place going back to my hotel after venturing out and exploring Seoul. When I paid my bill at the end I would add a 20% tip. Was this ok or did I just look like a westerner showing money ?. I tipped because I had some really good times there and the staff made me feel really welcome. I am asking this as I loved my time in Korea and I am going back early next year and I just want to make sure I didn't do anything wrong.Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Didnt need to tip at all but still they wouldve appreciated it!

[@davidohara6549]

Ok thank you

[@LG-rw6zf]

US min wage varies by state. Some states are less than $8 an hour.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Those States need to get it right!

[@LG-rw6zf]

@@koreanpizzaclub I agree!

[@andyjaycee]

KELSEYS FACE CHANGE AT 7:05 hahahah. Love Kelsey

[@aimldn2587]

In uk, tipping is an option and some restaurants include service charge on your bill.

[@W_Whitman]

I wish y’all stop saying “weed is gateway” to meth. None of you has a credential to say such dangerous and ignorant comment. It’s your second time doing this.

[@sannmayy]

Every is entitled to their views and I have to agree with them. Once you enable one usage of drugs, it's a potential gateway to enabling stronger drugs for many.

[@W_Whitman]

@@sannmayy You might be entitled to your opinion but not to medical facts. Millions of people use it for various medical or recreational purposes, they don’t all of a sudden graduate to harder drugs. This isn’t a “I like apples over oranges” debate. Simply put, if you’re not a medical professional who studied and went to school for it, you shouldn’t be making such blatant statements. What you’re saying is the equivalent of “I’m entitled to my opinion and therefore I will start a conversation about not taking vaccines.” You didn’t go to med school, so take a seat. In fact, take several seats back.

[@sannmayy]

@@W_Whitman It's not medical related but a simple observation that can be made just by looking at certain countries that enable drug use. Human beings are not as difficult as doctors make us out to be, as i happen to be a human i feel like i am very entitled to that statement. Often than not we've seen many teens start from using disposable vapes and all types of e liquids at ages unacceptable by any standard and law to trying marijuana at least once or twice in their lifetime even when illegal. And yes it most definitely can extend to hard drugs when accessible. We wish to try things and it's normal human nature. Also the medical excuse has long been proven to enable unauthorised usage among relatives and close acquaintance. Something I've witness first hand and know for fact occurs nearly always. Like that's a whole conversation in itself i could have for hours.

[@LaughCryKLife]

Most of my job experience where there was a tip jar was actually pretty fair tip wise because at the end of a shift, everyone on that shift split the jar money so it wasn't ever controlled by the owner. It could be different in other places though. Tipping on the credit card slip actually is often worse for service staff because they'll potentially get taxed on it versus cash tips. As an American, the tipping culture changed dramatically during Covid to support those workers who were suffering the most but it now needs to return to normal again. I'd also be fine if we moved to a system where the price on the menu just paid for everything including the service and the tax.

[@user-ip2wg2wn4c]

Hello, I am from Pakistan and watch your podcasts eagerly, Thanks God you posted a new episode!!

[@Architectural_softwares]

this compound is perfect. Go ahead👍

[@carasss7775]

TIPS- actually mean: To insure proper service. So the original tips were given ahead - like how people give money to maitre 'd at fancy restaurants to get better tables, etc. Its original intent was not to 'thank' for service or show gratitude, but to get better service ahead of your bill. I agree that in the US tipping has gotten out of control, especially when in states like California servers at restaurants get full minimum wage which is almost $15 hour. when I lived in Michigan, the Federal server wage was $2.52 hourly, and your wages were expected to come from tips. We were taxed on our claimed tips. So it really does depend on which state you're in.

[@liss2503]

I have never left a tip at a hotel. I have tipped Uber and taxis. I tip food delivery drivers, I tip at restaurants. I used to be a server during my college years. I paid fro my room and board with my tips. When your young and cute you can make good tips. If your attentive to families with young kids you can make good tips. If your sweet to older ladies you can make good tips. Restaurants have flexible hours sometimes so it works well when going to school. The post pandemic tipping culture is out of control. Who has extra cash to hand out these days? So going out costs double. I cook at home a lot more now. One way to save on costs traveling is booking hotel rooms with kitchens and making your own food. We did that. The hotels rooms with kitchenettes that are close to grocery stores, Target or other shops are my favorites when traveling with the family.

[@mar_quon4914]

I worked at a big chain restaurant and we were paid around $3 USD. Me and my co-workers lived off tips and not getting the tips or small tips were rough. That's why servers are extra nice to make sure they get a nice tip so they can afford to pay there bills. I agree with Anna, these big corps should pay more to their servers. But I will say most places in US is still optional, you don't have to tip but I do hate places that already has the tip included on the check even if the service is bad. That's stupid! The average tip in my opinion in the US is average is 15% and 20-25% is too much and I'm American lol And most people just tip $5 for any price meal you don't have to go by the percentage.

[@RagingDrone]

I live in NYC and the Tipping culture here is crazy! I only tip when I eat at restaurants but buying BOBA and stuff like that I don’t tip at all. What happens if you don’t tip? They would chase you when you walk out the door and tell you “you forgot to tip”. Usually the tip will reflect on your bill as Gratuity . Either a 25% or 35% depends how many people in the group. The basic tipping is the below 15% 18% 20% or 25%

[@janetharris9291]

I know tipping in the USA is ridiculous. But I tip for the waitresses because I know how little their wages are. But i think the restaurant owners should be paying them a higher wage and not put it on the customer. I don’t tip according to what they tell me to tip because I can’t afford it. I am usually paying for one of my adult kids as well. I usually tip $5.00. When checking out at some resteraunts they will give you 3 options to select. There has been times when all 3 options were over $5.00 and I only tipped $5.00. There has also been times when the 3 suggested amounts were under $3.00 but I still tipped $5.00

[@Abisolutelyfabulous]

I used to work as a server and made $2 an hour. And I had to pay a portion of my sales went to the bartender and busboys, so if no-one tipped I would lose out on money. It is normalized but messed up and needs to change.

[@koreanpizzaclub]

$2 is crazy!!!

[@Abisolutelyfabulous]

@koreanpizzaclub yeah in some states (I was in Iowa) you can pay less for tipped employees. The federal minimum wage for servers is $2.13 per hour but if the server doesn't make up the rest of the normal minimum wage ($7.25 in Iowa) then the employer has to pay the employee the difference.

[@vc6478]

Do remember that even on take-out orders there are people in the kitchen that are working. I do agree tipping culture is going crazy, but a lot of people forget the kitchen staff. Where I live there used to be a minimum wage and a liquor server minimum wage, the latter being less. This was because liquor added higher cost on bills at restaurants and bars and meant higher tips. Where I used to work servers would pool a percentage of their tips to tip out kitchen staff and other back of house. The minimum wage was raised now and there is no longer any difference for any job. This is good, but I do remember being in kitchen and seeing the front of house staff counting their fat stacks of bills… where I worked they always made bank and me making the food I got 1.5% of the total tips made during the period I worked😭

[@krystavi05]

I don't agree with tipping kitchen staff, because then you'd have to tip EVERYWHERE you eat, including fast food, because they all count as kitchen staff. Servers get tips because the restaurant industry took advantage of people's generosity and required that tips become part of a servers total income. No, the cost of a workers wage needs to come out of the price of the meal. Tipping needs to end.

[@vc6478]

@@krystavi05 You are entitled to that opinion. I do not agree with your comparison of restaurant kitchen staff to fast food kitchen staff. One is an entry level position that most of the time teenagers and students fill and the other is a skilled trade. I do not know if you have worked in hospitality before but your views on tipping make me think no. As I mentioned previously I do think tipping is getting out of hand, but at least in North American it will never be abolished. It is unrealistic to expect that here, even if wages are raised.

[@meishadubois8973]

Great topic. I just wished there was a person on the panel that actually have worked in the service industry in Korea/America. I am an American who use to be a server in college. I remember servers would have stereotypes on different countries because they did not tip or under tip. That would bring discrimination to many. Much love from a loyal fan.

[@acojsx]

UK doesn't charge tipping, but a service charge is included to the bill at establishments roughly 12.5%

[@TheSylfaein]

Oh, this pressure of pressing the thumbs-up...and the guilt if i don't. :P This was a really good and interesting topic. My stance on tipping pretty much overlaps with your's. 1. No matter where or what branch you work for, no matter the side you're on (customer or employee): If it involves dealing with living beings, you ought to be polite and helpful. 2. Having a decent wage should counter this pressure into giving tips just so the people tending to you can survive. The employer is responsible for the payment, not the customer. If the payment isn't high enough to support one's life, well, fuck that job! Although tipping is still optional over here in Europe (10-15% is considered polite), i don't have problem giving a tip to delivery men/women or taxi drivers by simply rounding up to the next big number (like 17,35€ to 18€). Driving around with a purse full of tiny coins might be a PITA, so it helps them out. -- BUT, especially when going to a restaurant, i do not expect overly nice service. Just give me a place to sit down and the food+drinks i order. Constant questions like 'Is everything to your liking? Do you need xyz?' or something are annoying. -- I got judging looks from my family when i didn't leave a 'generous' tip once, so i said "It's not my job to support them, i'm not the employer. I'll just pay what is written on the menu/bill and maybe round up a little. Taking care of the workers is the owner's job." They've already increased the prices for everything due to increasing costs, so paying the workers adequatly should be a given.

[@ekaterini2957]

To help you feel a bit better. First of all, tipping at 18% in much of the US is fine. Also, for take out you do not have to tip -- although during the pandemic you saw this more because of the staff making less money due to less dining in. Finally, the average American does not stress about tipping. Give what you feel comfortable with -- leaving New York and the big cities on the West coast aside -- you can tip down to 15% if you really cannot afford it. Don't stress -- y'all are very nice people. Yes, servers do depend on tips but the average server is still going to be polite and if you are polite to the server that goes a long way.... I have never been in a situation where you cannot customize the tip -- ie choosing "other" or you can tip with cash and then you don't have to tip electronically. Hope this helps? -- Oh quick addendum -- at restaurants if you have a larger party -- I think is is 6 people or more, sometimes the tip is included so you have to check on the bill for this -- it will already list the tip or somewhere indicate "tip included" or "gratuity included". It is easy to make a mistake and tip on top of this because the bill will still leave a space for the tip. If you are paying on an electronic device and you are not sure (again, this only happens for the most part with larger groups) you can ask if the tip is already included. Sometimes it will indicate this on the menu or on the website. Finally, you can also consider tipping only on the bill total BEFORE including the cost of alcohol and BEFORE including the cost of the tax -- and this is considered acceptable. Younger folks don't seem to know this but this is considered okay. Now, if a large chunk of the bill is alcohol then it is nice to tip on the whole bill but that is a choice. Sorry to make it longer but really in the end do the best you can -- main thing is don't accidentally pay a tip twice...

[@koreanpizzaclub]

Very helpful! Thank you :))