What should I tip when given free food or drinks?

[johnnycanuck@lemmy.ca]

How often does this happen? What is it costing your friends? Are they sneaking it to you? Are they the purveyor of the establishment?

In any case, if you were only going to spend $5, you don't have to accept the full $20 worth of food/drink. You could say, "oh I WA only planning on spending around $5 tonight, this is too much, but thanks. Or if the somewhat direct approach feels awkward, max out your tip at what you were originally going to spend. If it's not enough, they'll stop giving you so much.

[darharrison@lemm.ee]

When I'm given free stuff I tip as if I paid for it. So if part of a meal is comped, for example, I'll use the original subtotal, pre-discount, to figure out what to tip.

If I'm only getting drinks (coffee, alcohol etc.) I default to a $1 tip per drink, and if given a free drink I'll add on to that while factoring the cost of what I'm given. But if any food is involved I start at 20% on the subtotal, then round up or down to the nearest 50¢ or $1 depending on how long I stay at the establishment and how much the subtotal is.

For takeout, I'll tip less since I'm spending much less time in the establishment; I might round the total up to the nearest $5 or $10 depending on how much I spend.

And for delivery, I have basically never ordered for delivery in my entire adult life, and don't plan to, I'd rather just go and pick up whatever I order. I was a pizza delivery driver before UberEats and the like were common and quickly got a feel for that etiquette (people were usually pretty generous) and decided it was a luxury I could live without.

Compared to you I guess I'm a bit cheap but I'd still tip the same even if front-of-house people were making more money, unless they explicitly tell me not to tip them (which has happened before). I don't think people should feel bullied into tipping, because I think the business should be paying them the living wage instead, but just like at any other job good performance should always be rewarded.

[quintus@lemmy.ml]

Don't? It's a gift. Why tip? If they expect you to then that's hypocrisy on their part.

[safesyrup@feddit.org]

Tipping 15-20% sounds so crazy to me not beeing from the USA

[p00ptart@lemmy.world]

Sounds more like a roundabout way for the server or bartender to steal from the company.

[bocky@lemmy.world]

It’s balanced out by the wage thefts from employers though. Sub minimum wage compensation is unacceptable

[p00ptart@lemmy.world]

I agree, but maybe leave the industry?

[otherbarry@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz]

I just tip the amount I would have tipped if it was something paid. In practice that only happens to me in bars if the bartender gives me a drink on the house and I'll always tip in those situations. Always tip your bartender

[dacrazyjamez@sh.itjust.works]

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cahuenga principle

The Cahuenga Principle states that a tip should be no less than half the value of free drinks (or food) recieved.

[comfy@lemmy.ml]

I don't know what the culture is where you are, but I don't give people money for friendly gifts. If anything, that just implies our relationship is transactional and shallow, rather than a community who care about each other more than money.

What I do is return the favor by giving them free things later, just like they did. Like buying them a drink at a pub.