Tipping for services has always been controversial and ever-changing. People have argued that you shouldn’t have to tip when gratuity is included, that you should change your percentage based upon service and some people have even argued that you shouldn’t tip at all. Tipping is always up to the discretion of the buyer, but do everyone a favor and try not to be a complete jerk when leaving a tip.
The Consumer News and Business Channel recently posted an article online about how people could save money by changing their tipping methods. CNBC writer, Zack Guzman, wrote an entire article and produced a video about how you can save money by tipping based upon the pre-tax amount, rather than tipping on the total.
Guzman estimated that by making this small change, people could save close to 400 dollars over the course of the year. Obviously, you would still tip whatever percent you’re comfortable with, but not tipping on your tax could save you hundreds. Through a video released on CNBC Twitter, Guzman argues that you shouldn’t have to tip on what you’re getting charged by the government. Obviously, he faced a lot of backlash on Twitter from people that believed it was ridiculous advice.
Twitter user @TonyPosnanski wrote, “If you want to save f**king money then skip a dessert or two but f**king over servers that make 2-4 dollars an hour on pre tax is total bulls**t.”
Another user, @BehindYourBack wrote, “Nice! Also pushing down old ladies and stealing the change in their wallets could earn you up to $385/year! Gotta be on the lookout for these important tips on how to be the f**king worst.”
This new “rule” has faced a lot of scrutiny because people are advocating for those who are serving you. If you didn’t realize it by now, why would you want to change your habits to save a couple hundred dollars? But for people who try to be respectful tippers while also working with a fixed budget, I can understand why this change could help in the long run.
The rules of tipping have always been the same, but have become more controversial in recent years. Between this new rule, and people advocating for cash-only tips, it can get confusing. As a broke college student, I’m well aware that if I can’t afford to leave a tip on a meal I’m having, I should probably just eat at home. If the service was incredible, tip a little more. If it wasn’t the best, tip a little less. But no matter what you do, never dip below 15 percent. Tipping is one of those things that will always vary person to person. But if you’re not in the place to tip, don’t go to things where tipping is expected.
Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Jacey Gonzalez is a student at the University of Nevada and studies journalism. She can be reached at jaceygonzalez@sagebrush.unr.ed and on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.