Random questions about tipping (for Dopers who worked in restaurants)

[Cicero]

@Royal_Nonesutch

I see that you are not American, but even in countries where local residents NEVER tip (like here in Poland for example) servers who know you are an American tourist understand that there is a good possibility that a tip will be forthcoming, and so will tend to give preferential service to your table.

And at least here in Krakow, I would guesstimate that over 95% of the people that eat or drink at Hard Rock Cafe (which is the heart of the Rynek Glowny, Krakow’s stunning Main Square, which is likely the singlemost tourist-centric spot in the entire country) are tourists, so if there is anywhere around that would perhaps expect tipping, the Hard Rock certainly would be it.

Was in Krakow last year, went to the Hard Rock Café and we did tip (and bought tee shirts)

And we tipped in Warsaw as well. Only place we didn’t tip was Auschwitz as it was too cold to even get some money out. (It was December).

[DesertDog]

@doreen

People who are exempt from SS due to government work generally have a pension. Did your wife have a pension without disability coverage?

That’s what I would think but there were no pensions, for reasons I know naught of, being more concerned with her impending death. She only lasted about three months after that in any event.

[EdelweissPirate]

@Jackmannii

It’s possible the machines are safer than the “unknown person” who has your card.

It’s not “possible.” It’s absolutely true. Servers skim cards all the time. Most servers are honest, but the dishonest ones skim a lot of cards.

@Jackmannii

On the other hand, I don’t know that these devices are unhackable.

They don’t have to be unhackable. They just have to be less fraud-prone than servers are (on average) and they are a lot less fraud-prone than that.

@Jackmannii

Cash is safer

Not if you get mugged. Not if you lose the cash. There are certainly situations in which cash is safer, but it’s not clear that cash is safer overall. In fact, I’d argue that it’s less safe overall.

I mean, I get it: you prefer cash and are suspicious of new-fangled electronics. You’re entitled to your own opinions, but you’re not entitled to your own facts.

Europe requires chip-and-pin, so the server brings a wireless credit card reader to your table to read your cards chip and so you can enter your pin. Because this is so much more secure than the American system, most fraudulent use of European credit card accounts is perpetrated in the US:

Most of Europe's Credit Card Fraud Is Committed in the U.S.

[EdelweissPirate]

@clairobscur

Is the part about playing games a joke, or true?
Over here, they have one machine that they carry around, and most certainly doesn’t allow to play games.

The part about playing games is not a joke, unfortunately. When I lived in Europe, I much preferred the machines you’re referring to. Some American restaurants have begun putting tablets on tables, and some of those tablets can accept payment for your meal. But the main reason they’re there is to provide an additional revenue stream for the restaurant. I’ve only seen these things at chain restaurants and airports. They’re entirely different from the (much better) European machines. Many of these tablets don’t even read your credit card’s chip and are mag-stripe only.

They’re still less fraud-prone than handing your card to a server who takes it away. But they’re a lot worse than the European system. Many Americans have a strange, misguided faith that their signature somehow prevents fraudulent use of their cards. It’s baffling.

[Lord_Feldon]

@EdelweissPirate

Many Americans have a strange, misguided faith that their signature somehow prevents fraudulent use of their cards.

The major credit card companies don’t even want the signatures any more. Retailers are still allowed to require signatures, but (AFAIK) it no longer factors into liability as of earlier this year.