Basically this reply states that, yes, you are supposed to tip on tax, and that the only reason not to is you’re cheapskate scum.
Not only is this answer wrong, it’s just stupid.
First, the wrong part: just refer to a business/travel etiquette guide. You don’t tip on tax. Or anyway they used to–god knows what they’re saying these days. This is the kind of thing where too many people don’t know what they’re supposed to do, do the wrong thing, and before you know it the lowest common denominator becomes the new standard. Much like how grammar books gave up on saying it’s wrong to split infinitives or end sentences in prepositions.
It’s also just wrong to state that the bill doesn’t itemize the pre-tax total on the check. The credit card slip doesn’t, but the restaurant check does. If they aren’t giving you an itemized bill, find another restaurant.
As for the stupid part: are you seriously telling me a waitress in Washington state deserves more than one in Oregon, just because Washington has sales tax and Oregon doesn’t?
Oh, and one more wrong, as far as the “cheapskate scum” goes: my standard tip is 20%, and it’s always BEFORE tax.
You’re absolutely correct that the standard used to be not to tip on tax. But, most people just take the shortcut of looking at the bottom line of the check and using that to calculate the tip, and I suspect the reasoning has more to do with convenience than fairness. I don’t understand why it should be much of an issue one way or the other, since the amount involved is relatively trivial. Consider a state (like PA) which charges 6% sales tax on restaurant meals; if my family goes out and spends $100.00 on a meal, and I tip my usual 20%, then tipping on tax is going to cost $1.20.
I think that it’s more correct to say that in your opinion the column is incorrect. As for the rude and insulting, read some more columns and peruse the board a bit more and you’ll see that the language in said column is the height of civility.
And if Person A calls me a cheapskate and Person B calls me a stinking SOB, that doesn’t make Person A my best bud just because Person B was more obnoxious. The first guy’s still a jerk.
Or do you think it’s more correct to say that in my opinion the first guy is politeness challenged?
Leaving aside the issue of what is the correct answer to the tipping question (and even more interesting, what authority determines said correct answer), let’s get back to the “rude and insulting” part. I made no statement one way or the other as to whether the language used was appropriate, acceptable, or whatever. I merely said that the language used was not unusual in this venue. By comparison, if you go into a bar frequented by Teamsters you would expect coarser language and more insults than would be found at a ladies’ high tea. The Straight Dope isn’t a waterfront bar (though the Pit approaches it at times), but it isn’t high tea either.
Well, yes, in a nutshell. The waitress in Washington faces a higher cost of living (on account of sales tax) than does the waitress in Oregon. Unless you are seriously trying to seriously tell me that the total cost of a meal in Washington (including tax) is the same as the total cost of a meal in Oregon?
In the report, I did also say: <<If you really feel, as a matter of principle, that you shouldn’t be tipping on the tax, then raise your tipping percentage.>> If your standard tip is 20% on the bill-before-tax, then you’re obviously NOT being a cheapskate, and I apologize if I suggested otherwise.
My experience (admittedly, not a scientific sample) has been that people who argue to tip on bill-before-tax are the same people who think that 10% is a great tip, and who never offer to pick up the check when having lunch with an unemployed friend.
As you say, on a $100 meal, if the difference is $1.20, that’s practically nothing for you – that’s an additional $1. I submit that you would barely notice if you spent $120 or $121.60. But for the waitress, the difference between $20 and $21.60 is a pretty significant percent (and remember that part of the tip probably goes to the busser, if we’re talking $100 meals.)