Can’t tell if you support a service charge in lieu of tipping given your first and second paragraphs, but I’d just note that some studies have found customers to irrationally prefer service charges to all-in menu prices, when they come to the same amount. Restaurants are already taking a risk going from tipping to service charges; even riskier to raise prices instead. Still a worthy end goal, and I think many see service charges as a stepping stone.
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Co-founder & CEO of PolicyEngine. Founder & president of the UBI Center. Economist. Alum of UC Berkeley & MIT. YIMBY. CCLer. Former Google data scientist.
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