Customers are preparing for a tip take-down, after several restaurants have begun using a sneaky method of increasing their tips. Customers are asked to make a tip selection, typically anywhere from 15% to 25%. The percentage amounts aren’t shocking — the sneaky part is that restaurants are calculating the tip after tax and before discounts. A cardinal rule of tipping culture is that the gratuity should be a percentage of the pre-tax total, not on taxes they never paid for. With tipping getting out of control, some customers are using their own tactic to skirt the restaurants' calculations. Customers say always tap “custom” and calculate the tip manually. Base the tip on the pre-tax subtotal, not the final total. Always ask for a paper receipt so you can see the breakdown clearly, and pay cash when possible to avoid screen-based pressure. A recent survey found that 75% of Americans believe the tipping culture has gone too far. Now there’s something you can do to fight back.
