The social convention of tipping taxi drivers/waiters etc?

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If they ask you whether it's takeout or delivery when they ring up your order, it's a safe bet that their register will process the two types of order differently.

I don't know what the policy is for tipping on takeout orders. I used to buy pizzas from a place that sold pre-made cheese pizzas for five dollars a piece, and I never tipped them; but I don't think they expected it, because I watched the customers in line and none of them tipped either. Custom-made orders, at restaurants that aren't fast-food places, are probably different, but I don't have experience with that.

If you have the chance, you can check to see if other people are tipping or not. But it's kind of rude to peek over someone's shoulder to look at their receipt, so it's only obvious if it's cash. I just kind of automatically fill in 20% on the tip line, if there's one on the receipt.

See, this is why I stick to simple stuff. I don't think I've eaten at a restaurant yet this year, and it's May... so, yeah, not so much experience. It's so complicated and I'm always so afraid that I'll accidentally forget to tip, imply that someone has ruined my day with really bad service, and deny their kids that extra gallon of milk or something.

I can't comment on the practices in the USA, but practices here don't seem to follow the 10%, rather to pay with a note and don't wait for the remainder.

I myself Always believed the OP's point: tipping is for exceptional service, anything below that is just covered by their normal pay. I understand people in the branch are not payed well, but they get at least minimum wage, so I don't see a problem with my way of thinking. I know it's not a lot of money, but it's an unskilled job and I don't go around tipping street sweepers either. Some restaurants include the tipp in the bill and I think that's absolutely scandalous. Not many people seem to disagree with me though...

I don't understand tipping. Why is it that if I order an expensive meal at a high class restaurant that I am supposed to tip my waiter $25, while at a diner where the waiter is busting his/her ass to get all the orders in only gets $2? Is expensive food somehow heavier?

So I usually undertip the waiter at the high-class place and overtip the waiter at the diner.

One I had service that was so abysmally rude and awful that I tipped two pennies - just to let the guy know I was thinking of him, and not very much.

I find this to be one of the more simple of social norms. I tip 20% so it's just a matter of math. The lowest I'll go is 10% no matter how bad the service is (because service people live on tips and have crappy jobs.)

I kind of like the Japanese perspective on tipping; they consider it an insult as it's like you're implying whoever you're tipping isn't being paid enough.

This is something i really struggled with in the USA. in asutralia, the minimum wage is reasonable and tips are for exceptional service (or if you go to a place a lot, to get exceptional service whenever you go there. in the states, it just means that the prices are all wrong by 15%. if a meal is going to cost me $22.50 or something, it should just say that. i dont care that some of that money goes to the business and some to the waiter as wages.

Stupid rules. stupid system.

Hey i just thought of something. You know how in the movies sometimes, a boss will tell a waiter or waitress that there's money missing from the till, so he's going to take it out of their tips? Does that really happen? If so, that's really oppressive. Not only does this mean that somebody stealing from a till is stealing from the hardworking waiter or waitress, but this may make a desperate worker more likely to try and protect the till, possibly endangering themselves.

The tipping system is almost like, you must get on your hands and needs for the business, protect the business, lick the feet of the businesses customers, because if you don't, you won't get paid. Like, that is really harsh... How am i NOT going to overtip when i come over now... The guilt is already pre-organised.