• otp@sh.itjust.works
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    14 hours ago

    Yeah, what I’m saying is that I don’t want to be nickle and dimed, because it makes me feel like a victim of deceptive marketing.

    No matter how strongly you know that your $9.99 burger is actually $14.00 (or more because tipping on the machine is often calculated after tax), psychological studies show that $9.99 tends to subconsciously mean “under $10” to people…and to services like Google Maps.

    We’ve created this culture that it’s okay to subconsciously deceive the customer to extract an extra $0.01 (or $1.00) out of every purchase…and an extra 10%…and an extra 20% if it’s at a restaurant.

    People who set a price limit for themselves of $20 will gladly go into a restaurant and buy something that’s $19.99 and feel like they’ve stayed within their budget.

    This is the problem. I don’t like living somewhere where “buy a meal for under $10!” means I need to spend at least $15.

    • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      13 hours ago

      Yeah, not in the US. Here if it says $19.99 for anything anywhere you know that’s not including tax, because that is how it works here.

      We can talk about how it should be all day and we likely agree, the difference is that you refuse to recognize what is, and think hurting the worker by not tipping but making them serve you for free (instead of boycotting exploitative businesses entirely) is the answer.

      Just don’t go. That’s it, it’s that simple.

      • otp@sh.itjust.works
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        11 hours ago

        You’ve got the wrong person. I tip, and probably too much.

        I don’t want tipping to end because I expect to pay less. I want it to end because it’s inherently deceptive to the customer. As is tax not being included in the sticker price.

        • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          11 hours ago

          Sorry, either that was for one of the other 40 of you or it was meant to be the royal “you,” depending. And I’m not going back to figure out which.

          But that’s good that you do (if you go places that require it).

          Sure, I’m all for it, my arguments are varied about the 40 of you but the jist is as follows:

          • Sure it’d be great if it changed, but
          • it has not. So while you’re here visiting the country either
          • don’t go to tipped places if you refuse to tip, or
          • tip if you do,
          • because not tipping only hurts the worker.
          • no it doesn’t “hurt the boss too,”
          • no it isn’t “the only way to change the system,”
          • it isn’t even a way to change the system
          • and even if it was, it’s not going to happen in time for the people who are already here to see it
          • sure accidents happen, you may not know
          • once you learn, if you choose not to tip the worker that has only committed the mortal sin of serving your food
          • it just makes you an asshole.

          (For context in this one I definitely mean the royal “you,” not the “you” you. “You” you said you do tip lol.)