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-   -   More Tipping Suggestions (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/more-tipping-suggestions-474764/)

Sidepockets Sep 17th, 2004 03:43 AM

More Tipping Suggestions
 
A lot of my friends order water instead of a fountain drink because the tip for the drink costs more than the cost of the drink to the restaurant. I order water when the drink is $2.00, which is at least 15 times the cost to the restaurant. Now figure in tax at 6.5%, $2,00 X 20% X 6.5%(.16) =$2.56. This is another reason more people opt for takeout and drink their 10-15 cent drink from home. Saving over $5.00 just for 2 drinks. I have 2 more restaurants that I frequent that are at $1.99 and will cost their servers $2.00+ in tips, unless I decide to leave more than 15/20% tip. Your thoughts? We eat dinner out 7 nights a week, breakfast at least 2 times, lunch not so often. Figure the savings just by drinking water.

Dan Sep 17th, 2004 03:51 AM

You really figured this out? Wow.

I order what I want. When it's water, fine. When it's a Coke, fine. I don't remember EVER looking at the price on a menu. If I can't afford it, I stay home. I eat out 2x a day as well.

Sidepockets Sep 17th, 2004 04:25 AM

Sometimes it's the principle, I don't like to be gouged. If I worried about the cost, I would never eat out. I was trying to explain why some are negative about tipping. Don't forget that taxes are never paid on about 60-70% or more of tips.

Patrick Sep 17th, 2004 04:59 AM

Sidepockets, if I began to spend time figuring out things like that, I suspect I'd be spending far more than those "unnecessary taxes and tips" on my ulcer medicine alone. You really sat down and worked that out? I thought most people ordered water because they wanted water, not because they figured out they'd save money over ordering what they really want. Why don't you just stay home where you could have whatever you want?

joan Sep 17th, 2004 05:37 AM

Sidepockets, how do you know the cost of the drinks?

Did you add in the cup, the straw, the water, the ice, the electricity to produce the ice, the rent for the ice machine and the soda machine, the fraction of the liability insurance and the operator licenses that applies to the drink, the cost of the employee wages to make the drink, including employer paid taxes and worker's comp insurance?

I didn't think so.

GoTravel Sep 17th, 2004 06:12 AM

Sidepockets, are you retired?

Loki Sep 17th, 2004 06:22 AM

My thoughts? I think you're nuts. You asked...

nytraveler Sep 17th, 2004 06:23 AM

Sidepockets -

Life is way too short to worry about $2 - even twice a day!

gypsy Sep 17th, 2004 06:33 AM

ok, everybody lighten up - everyone is obsessive/compulsive about something!

GoTravel Sep 17th, 2004 06:43 AM

But gypsy, I'm obssesive/compulsive about Sidepockets obsessing over the price of water!

beachdreams Sep 17th, 2004 06:44 AM

What Sidepockets also forgot to figure in what that most restaurants offer free refills on those $2.00 drinks and the average joe certainly has at least one refill, usually more (if you are like my husband, you end up drinking about a pitcher of tea at one sitting). That cost adds up for the restaurant as well.

MarthaB Sep 17th, 2004 07:16 AM

Watch your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.

$-)

HowardR Sep 17th, 2004 07:29 AM

Either this is a troll posting or one of the competitors in the "Most Inane Thread" competition. Come to think of it, even if it is a troll posting, it still is a leading entry in the competition.

beachbum Sep 17th, 2004 09:42 AM

I'm wondering why you eat out seven nights a week, and what you could do with the money you saved if you only ate out two.

GoTravel Sep 17th, 2004 10:03 AM

But what if you ate out only three nights a week and took all the bread with you and didn't eat your salads but took them home and split an entree one of those nights out therefore you could save four entrees a week at an average savings of $10.00 per entree with $1.50 tip plus $0.50 tax for a weekly savings of $48.00 per week on top of the $35.00 per week you save on sodas is equal to $83.00 per week or $4,316.00 per year that you've just added onto your income!

Oops. I forgot to add in the cost of ordering only one entree one night per week so you need to add an additional $624.00 per year bringing you total savings to $4,940.00 per year.

reneeinva Sep 17th, 2004 10:13 AM

LOL. GoTravel, you are bad. :)

gypsy Sep 17th, 2004 10:28 AM

oh, lordy, GoTravel...
YOU'VE TRAVELED WITH MY MOTHER, HAVEN'T YOU!

my dh is almost too embarrased to go out to eat w/my parents because they carry off ANYTHING that wasn't consumed during the meal.

have a great weekend!
d

HowardR Sep 17th, 2004 10:41 AM

OK, I'll take it all back. This thread is funny!

SuzieQ Sep 17th, 2004 11:51 AM

and don't forget to order your soda with little or no ice! You get more for the money! LMAO!

Patrick Sep 17th, 2004 12:22 PM

I resent that idea that we are all obsessive/compulsive about something! I've been thinking about that all day since I read it. So I sat down and made three lists: One is things I might be obsessive/compulsive about -- one is things I know I'm not obsessive/compulsive about -- and one for things I'm undecided. Then I reviewed each one seven times, trying to justify ways I have or have not been true to those things and adding details to each list. I emailed 35 of my closest friends and asked for examples of my being or not being obsessive/compulsive about them. I am starting to collect the responses and I'm putting them into stacks -- three categories for each of my three original lists. First category -- those who are in total agreement about my behavior. Second category -- those who are in total disagreement with that particular behavior. Third category -- those who give examples yes and no to that particular behavior. As soon as I get all the responses, I will tally them, do the statistics and make a judgement. But so far, it looks like I do not have any obsessive/compulsive traits. Thank goodness, I'd worry myself sick if I thought I might be obsessive/compulsive.


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