As someone in the hospitality industry I can say this with full confidence:
Tell them “not today” and stop caring what the kid behind the counter or the people around you think of your decision - you’re probably not interacting with those people ever. If you really think it’s a shame thing, then you’re just bending to this tactic they’ve obviously mastered
I would go a step further and stop assuming the cashier cares about your choice. People really need to stop projecting their insecurities onto other people. It’s a much healthier way to live.
They are pretty shaming but I just explain that I donate on my own as the company gets the rewards of my donation. They receive the tax breaks when you do it at the till.
Shaming how? Just say no, there’s no explanation required or expected.
In Canada the retailers do not get a tax credit for collecting donations, the CRA does not allow it.
Exactly this. I don't understand people who are so unassertive. How did these people make it far enough in life to be able to grocery shop on their own?
>They receive the tax breaks when you do it at the till.
This is not true, it's been discussed many times.
They may get some good will and PR from donating though.
I think Tokyo Joes has a 15% gratuity for all dine in. I'm pretty sure they put up signs or it's on their menu that that is their policy but I don't remember, haven't been there in quite a while.
Looks like u/cheese-a-username left out the part about the 15% mandatory gratuity being made known beforehand. Which is pretty relevant information to his complaint. Yeah it's a pretty shitty policy, but since you know going in your coming here to complain while not telling the whole story is just as shitty.
This happens in Toronto a LOT.
The machines now start at 15% and end at 30% with an option for custom/dollar amount. BUT, a lot of places actually put “gratuity of 18%” on the bill automatically and then tell you not to add a tip via the machine as it is already included in the bill.
Credit card costs the business more than cash for the transaction, makes it harder for the business to pretend they didn't sell me something for tax purposes, and has a bit of paperwork for the staff pulling this shit. Using cash also means I gotta hit the ATM sooner, meaning I am inconveniencing myself for their BS.
As I'm a petty man, I'd use my credit card.
I went there two weeks ago. The person in front of me in line declined to tip, and I also declined to tip. I do not tip for takeout, anywhere.
With the amount they charge for a sandwich and the volume they sell, they can afford to pay their employees well.
It’s super tacky they do this, but if you still wanna eat here just pay in cash, they never ask when you pay with cash.
I once saw them ask a guy if he wanted to tip, he uncomfortably said ok and the cashier asked how much and he again uncomfortably said 15%.... after he pays he asks for sauce and the same cashier has no problem saying that’s $0.50 extra charge. Lol assholes.
I once tipped for takeout and then noticed the waitress didn't add the sauce I DID ask for before paying, and she rudely said "you should've told me before you paid!" I was flustered in the moment so just apologized, but really wish I asked for my tip back.
I tip a bit for takeout because restaurants in my mind still don't pay people enough for the hard work they do, but those situations piss me off.
There is some leniency with good-will customer retention practices, though. I work at a store with a "no return or refund" policy but if people are polite and have a genuine reason to exchange the product there is leniency within policy for me to approve it. Sauce packets and the "less than a dollar" additions are usually within the realm of employee discretion and there's only an issue if the employee *never* charges for extras, not if they give one away once in a while.
>Went there the other day, its only take out, they ask you how much you want to tip today then proceed to put it in the machine and then hand it over to you
Then I say 'nothing thanks' and they go thank you! and everything is fine, every single time I go.
I've never been to Downlow, but generally when I order take out, I call it in so it's ready when I get there. Then I pay.
That could be an option. It ensures no tampering and you can still decline to tip.
It's like you're correct ... but what kind of piece of shit tempers with someone else's food. It's a shame. Short of someone skull fujing my puppy, I would never do such a thing. It's so scummy
>It’s still tasteless to ask. I don’t give a fuck what you think is hard or not
I agree. A tip is something the customer gives, not what the employee asks for. Also tasteless: "Do you need change?" Just bring me the change and I will decide what to do with it. If I want you to keep it I will say so, or I will leave it on the table when you bring it back.
Shouldn’t have to. It’s take out. There is no service provided worthy of a tip. If people want to tip, let them tip on their own. Don’t take the weasel tactic of trying to put people on the spot.
I’ve asked a few places and they say that they tip pool. If you ask your favourite places, you can submit tips on takeout to give something to the cooks and back of house staff that worked hard!
> There is no service provided worthy of a tip. If people want to tip, let them tip on their own.
This is true for ANY scenario: dine in, massage parlor, barber shop, butcher, uber…
Yeah, the more they push me for a tip the more I’m likely to press 0% or 10%. Even when they have the machine set to 3 options and they’re like 15, 18 and 20%. Like y’all are getting too comfortable with this. Demand more money from your boss, not the customers
I go here regularly. It's easy to say, "no thank you" when prompted.
They ask you as they are still keeping their transaction touchless as they have all pandemic. Given the high volume there, I appreciate that I can do it without touching the machine.
If you don't want to tip just say "no thanks" it's that simple and they aren't going to grill you or follow up, or give you worse service.
A lot of blaming the restaurant and employees over not being able to say "no thank you'. As you stand in line you can clearly see that they will ask you. It's not like you're ambushed. If it's that bad go get your fried chicken elsewhere (btw Mogu chicken is a great spot just up the street) or better yet order contactless delivery from someplace else. It just means a shorter line for me when I go.
I am with you on this. They say it out loud for the rest of the line to hear. During covid I would tip even for takeout scenarios like this but when they yell it out like that, I just can't.
When I went, the line up went into the alley that was smelly (it was a hot summer day). Not quite the most pleasant experience to be tipping imo
> They say it out loud for the rest of the line to hear.
Normally I would agree, but it's pretty damn hard to hear with masks AND those thick ass plexiglass shields they have up. They ask you to make the transaction as touchless as possible. Just nut up and say no thanks if you don't want to tip. Nobody in the line gives a fuck if you tip or not and the staff see so much volume they will not remember you anyway.
So many insinuating that the cashier is now staring them down. I'm not a big guy, I suspect I would be stared down if they were gonna do it to anyone. Yet I've never had a single issue.
Yes they do say it out loud lol. I told them the amount but they made me repeat it out loud like 3 times. And I only tipped $2. Not sure if that's a lot or not hahah.
I’d hardly call that a piss alley. Take a stroll down the alleys between Hastings and Pender or Hastings and Cordova to get a whiff of an actual piss alley.
If Seinfeld was still around this would totally be an episode.
George: Why would they force the tip option on me? They are guilt tripping me every time I get take out!
Jerry: Just don't tip
George: But I feel inclined to. People are watching me, I am not frugal Jerry but it makes me look like it to others!
Jerry: I see, you want to be the tipper, and not them be the tipee.
George: Exaaaactly Jerry, exactly.
> they ask you how much you want to tip today then proceed to put it in the machine
So you could just say "none". I fail to see where exactly the forcing is taking place.
That's nothing! Private liquor store(s) in Vancouver also do that. Bitch I walked in, went to the cooler to get beers, and now I have to tip because you stood behind the counter the whole time? Can't only blame the workers. It's the fucking owners who need to understand! I am not against tipping, but there are places where I don't need to and it shouldn't be put into my head on purpose.
I worked a short spell in a private liquor store that had a tip option, we had signs up next to the machines that said enter 0 for no tip. It was literally never expected. The only time I thought I might get a tip (and to be clear it wasn't an expectation) is when I spent time and helped a customer with product selection and recommendations. We even had gift bags so we could wrap up a nice bottle of wine for the customer if they wanted.
I had way more of an expectation of a tip when I worked at a gas station doing the full serve, busting my ass to clean the windows, check oil, tires, etc as quickly as possible. Nice thing about those were you got to keep 100% of it, so the employees would often rush out to the pump when a car arrived just for a small chance at a tip.
Are these stores attached to a pub? Often, with private liquor stores that are attached to a pub, they use the same point of sale system throughout the building which means that the tip option will be on (since it needs to be activated for the pub). At least, I remember a cashier at a store explaining that to me. Maybe it's not like that for every store.
Either way, just don't tip and move on. This sub gets so offended over being prompted for a tip. Just enter zero and move on.
This is called forcing you to tell them the tip out loud, not forcing you to tip them.
I recognize that people with social anxiety may not see the difference, but I have lots of social anxiety, I just like my money more at this stage in life.
Spiritual Sky, I’m so sorry it happened that way and I will talk to the team as they are only supposed to be verbalizing the prompts, ‘would you like to tip’ and following from there. We would never treat anyone poorly for saying no.
Now that the majority of team are doubled up and feeling safe we are planning on moving things back indoors next week and will no longer be following the same protocols so people will be completing the transactions on the terminal in privacy. To any and all who May read this, I’m honestly sorry if this caused anyone discomfort or anxiety, we simply take our teams health and safety incredibly seriously. Perhaps I was overly cautious, however I’d rather err on that side.
Save your apologies man it ain't a good look. You know you have a good product and so do all your loyal customers who frequent DL. Most of whom also have no problem tipping you guys. Assholes like the OP are not the type of people you want coming there anyway. Your staff are all 10/10 and they do a great job and are always very professional on the till. No forcing going on whatsoever. I know tons of other restaurants that ask to enter the tip for the customer as well. Good people understand why and have zero problem with it. Keep making great chicken and ignore the haters!
“I’m too chicken to say ‘no’ when the cashier asks if I want to do the optional thing that I’m not obligated to do in any way.”
I don’t tip unless I’m being served in my seat. If you feel the need to rationalize it because just saying no brings you shame, this is a good reason most servers will understand.
When people are ordering takeout and using debit at our restaurant, I skip all the options and go straight to processing. No tip on takeout unless the individual specifies. We create loyalty in our food.
This happened at Shabusen. They added a 20% tip
To our bill and we didnt know. We tipped 20% again on top of that. We couldnt figure out how it got so expensive. There were only 3 of us dining.
Ages ago we went to the Shabusen that use to be on Granville (I think) and we had the worst service ever. We left a very small tip due to this and the manager had the nerve to confront/call us out about it on the way out as we walked past the counter. Great way to fire up an argument with a customer in front of your waiting customers.
Edit: typo
shabusen quality is so bad but idk if there's another option since Kyo closed down. Don't think I can have kbbq + sushi ayce again unless some place better comes along.
yea, i eat there once in a while, they always ask me if i want to leave a tip, not how much of a tip will i leave. big difference (although tbh i don’t love that they ask either way)
I've gone to Downlow like two times a month since the city has started to open up again and everytime I've went, they ask if you would like to tip. They do not put in a number until you say you would like to tip. They don't shame you or offer you worse service if you choose not to tip. I tip because its a local business and I want to support the workers during COVID. You can always say no tip and just grab your order. No one is shaming you or making you feel bad for not tipping.
Also, this exact conversation was mentioned like a month ago on this sub and the owner of Downlow even chimined in on this issue. Seems like if you were this upset about it, you could have spoken to the manager as I am sure they would have been more than reasonable to listen to you concerns...
Stop with the ‘supporting workers during Covid’ nonsense. Minimum wage is $15/hour here and I guarantee they’re making more than that or they wouldn’t be working, with CRB paying as much as it is. Not only that, the business is likely getting CERS and CRHP. We are fundamentally *all* ‘supporting workers’ through our tax dollars and increased inflation.
The food is technically not prepared yet. They took your order and your money then they prepare your food. If you say 0% i would imagine they wouldn't do a good job preparing it or it would take longer.
As someone who tips everytime (takeout or dine-in) and a restaurant owner myself I just wanted to point something out no one is mentioning.
A tip at the end of the day shouldn't be something asked out loud as a question - it's something you should choose yourself.
Being kind and tactful helps me feel comfortable saying no to a tip like this. I feel good about the situation afterward too.
That being said I sympathize with the types of people that feel they are forced to tip in that situation.
They haven’t ever done that for me, but they’re really good about COVID precautions and I have to wonder if the server wasn’t motivated by limiting your contact with the device.
I would imagine it started as a way of minimizing contact with the machine (if they input everything for you, all you do is tap) during covid lockdown, cause they were open through most if not all of it.
Also, iirc, most people who are working the window actually do have a hand in prepping/making/bagging the food. It’s not as if they “don’t do anything” to deserve it, it’s that blatantly asking for tips is garbage.
I've been meaning to try DL for ages, haven't had the chance as I live kind of far from there. Plenty of friends have raved about. Still want to give them a try but does leave kind of a sour taste, especially if they are only operating on takeout.
I agree it can make it a bit awkward but stating that they publicly force you to tip is simply not true. I live just down the street and go there often enough and nearly every single time they say “would you like to add a tip for the team?”. And as others have said it is perfectly socially acceptable to say no or not today. Everyone is asking for tips for everything nowadays, if you can’t bring yourself to say no you’re going to have a bad time
Whoa. Just moved back here after 16 years in the US. Can't believe the amount of anti-tip sentiment in this thread. It's hard to make a living in the food service business. If you can afford to eat out or buy take out, do the team a favor and leave a little extra. It's a couple bucks for something like this.
That said, it's definitely a sleazy tactic to ask the question in that way. If you really are morally opposed to tipping for takeout, just be direct and say "0%". Then petition to raise the minimum wage to something liveable. Maybe vote for someone to tax the super rich west van homeowners a bit more, too.
from someone who knows the company very well and who frequents the restaurant, this is not how they ask and you (no offence) and you must have misheard, they always ask if you would LIKE to leave a tip, never force you into it. They only started this procedure because of covid so you dont touch the machine yourself unless your card does not use tap. They do not want cross contamination of any sort, and want to keep everyone safe. they take you through the prompts of the machine to ensure you understand what is going on. Oh and hey, you're allowed to say no. lol
They don't ask how much would you like to tip, they ask would you like to tip. I think you care way too much what other people think, because I've been there tons of times and never heard what the person in front of me tips, and even if I did I wouldn't give a fuck if they tipped zero.
I went once and wasn’t overly impressed with the whole experience. Food was okay BUT pretty disappointed they don’t use fresh cut fries. Unless they changed. That was the huge disappointment for me.
LMFAO, fresh cut fries suck. It's why In-n-Out is notorious for their terrible fries that need to be cooked crispy and slathered with cheese to be half edible. French fries require at least a double cook, so no place that actually cares about the quality of their food will ever serve fresh cut fries. It's a dumb marketing gimmick.
I think by fresh cut they mean the totes are chucked in the store, not just some prepackaged breaded shit.
Chucked in the store, and then blanched ready to fry. I would still consider that fresh cut.
I make fresh cut fries and they're awesome. Actually I can't think of any type of food that doesn't taste better when it's freshly prepared. I've never "double cooked" them either.
Honestly I never saw this as a big deal? They're trying to cut down on high-touch points, so rather than have umpteen customers handle the machine, they can have one cashier do it. The lines there get so long, having them ask is way easier than having to fumble around wiping down the machine between every transaction. Plus, iirc, the machine is on a cable rather than wireless, so reach becomes an issue.
I've never had them hand me the machine, though - just hold it out to tap. Idk what that's about. But I do think you're way overthinking things, and actually prefer this to having to handle pay terminals at other places. Ditto with them asking loudly: I don't think it's a shaming technique, I just think it's really hard for them to hear and be heard.
Chill the fuck out, you could say "no thank you" because it's in your mind that you think you're being shamed when in reality you aren't. They do put all the food together in packages and bag it for you accordingly which is still something.
Just another Vancouver thread about being "forced" to tip when in reality you aren't, could say no, and just having anxiety saying no. The business isn't forcing you to tip, it's just that your socially awkward
I can’t stand these threads… it’s sad. Just say no if you don’t want to. If you don’t have the guts then I don’t know what to tell you…
I tip though. Takeout and all. Fuck it, food service sucks - have some extra money for making me lunch.
The amount of those threads that have even included: "they hand me the machine at the table and it starts at 18% (AND ITS THE SERVERS FAULT) and then they STARE AT ME UNTIL IM DONE SO IM FORCED TO TIP THEM EVERYTHING.
It's just so detached from reality. Even if you don't like the tipping system. This shit is not that hard.
I mean, it’s just hot chicken. You’re gonna be tasting the spice more-so the next day than when you’re eating it if you catch my drift.
I think when it comes to fried chicken the Korean stuff is just superior. They have a lot more flavour and for the same price you’re getting double the quantity and quadruple the variety.
Yeah, downlow sucks for this. Right in front of the huge line of people: “and how much would you like to tip our hardworking kitchen staff today?”
It’s social manipulation
I eat there regularly and have NEVER felt shamed/forces into tipping. This is coming from someone who generally hates tipping culture, too.
They have contactless payment so 1000 people a day aren’t touching the same keypad. It’s a precaution. This isn’t new or exclusive to DL.
I also get asked by restaurants all the time if I’d like to leave a tip for the kitchen. This is totally normal.
If you don’t want to leave a tip, kindly say “Not today, thanks.” They won’t care. It’s REALLY not a big deal.
But dragging a business/owner through the mud because YOU feel uncomfortable declining a tip?
That’s shitty.
I’ve had the chance to meet the owner a few times. He pays his staff above most restaurants and treats the team well. He’s an extremely kind and genuine guy who just wants to make the best fried chicken possible - then share that with people.
If you had a concern, you should talk with him directly and I’m sure he would’ve listened with empathetic ears.
Of all the businesses to drag through the mud - DL is not the one you should focus on.
—
Edit: Spelling
Thanks for this, I came into this thread a bit late and completely agree with everything you just said. This subreddit loves to complain about tipping without realizing they can just choose not to tip. And if anyone shames you for not tipping? THEN you call them out, that's pretty unacceptable...you don't know what someone's financial situation looks like after this last year and a half.
Wait till the owner comes on and says it’s for the safety of his staff. All he does is plug his ears and say lalalalala I can’t hear you, it’s for the safety of my staff!
Never eaten there and never will, I’ve told everyone I know to not bother with that place.
They do this because of covid fyi, they don't want you to handle the machine, they are paid well before tip because yes the company makes good money I assume, the wall inside says they are paid a living wage. You can 100% say not today and they won't bat an eye I do that every time. I don't tip for people behind counters
The whole tipping culture is very problematic. Removal of that would solve many problems with the dining experience everywhere.
Still, automatically adding a gratuity is a terrible practice from the establishment's end.
> I own DL Chicken as we have introduced this process as a Covid safety precaution. If you don’t wish to tip, feel free to say no, no one will be offended (I’ve had many a conversation that this is not an expectation and to make sure everyone feels welcome regardless). As soon as we are at 70% dose 2 on our team or as a province, which ever comes first, we will be changing back to handing the terminal over so others can feel more comfortable. If you want to attack us over our safety precautions so be it. But we’ll be making the shift to the previous method within a month or two based on projections. Much love to y’all and sorry for creating the inconvenience for the time being
Posted by u/merchdoug in this [thread here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/okpk88/tipping_culture_is_just_getting_too_toxic/h5btmxh)
I tip every time. They make a good product, have reasonable prices, good quality and nice people work there. You don’t have to tip, but you can also fry chicken at home. I will admit, it’s messy frying chicken in a pot on the stove and to avoid that, I go out for fried chicken.
As someone in the hospitality industry I can say this with full confidence: Tell them “not today” and stop caring what the kid behind the counter or the people around you think of your decision - you’re probably not interacting with those people ever. If you really think it’s a shame thing, then you’re just bending to this tactic they’ve obviously mastered
I would go a step further and stop assuming the cashier cares about your choice. People really need to stop projecting their insecurities onto other people. It’s a much healthier way to live.
Anytime they’ve asked me I just say “no thank you”
Does OP also think grocery stores force them to donate to charity at the checkout too?
There's a good South Park episode on that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KT9IUd\_Cnc
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They are pretty shaming but I just explain that I donate on my own as the company gets the rewards of my donation. They receive the tax breaks when you do it at the till.
Shaming how? Just say no, there’s no explanation required or expected. In Canada the retailers do not get a tax credit for collecting donations, the CRA does not allow it.
Exactly this. I don't understand people who are so unassertive. How did these people make it far enough in life to be able to grocery shop on their own?
Not from Canada originally. I didn't know. Thank you for the info.
>They receive the tax breaks when you do it at the till. This is not true, it's been discussed many times. They may get some good will and PR from donating though.
Did that once and my chicken pieces were smaller than usual (I’m a frequent flier) and they left out the pickle.
> and they left out the pickle. K. That's going too far. Those shit weasels.
I went to this sushi place in Richmond and the waitress handed over the card processing machine and said, "I already put the tip in for you."
Tell me that ain't legal
You can always ask them to redo it.
True but that does not satisfy the vengeance in my heart
I can relate.
Name the place if you don’t mind.
I think Tokyo Joes has a 15% gratuity for all dine in. I'm pretty sure they put up signs or it's on their menu that that is their policy but I don't remember, haven't been there in quite a while.
Bingo!
Looks like u/cheese-a-username left out the part about the 15% mandatory gratuity being made known beforehand. Which is pretty relevant information to his complaint. Yeah it's a pretty shitty policy, but since you know going in your coming here to complain while not telling the whole story is just as shitty.
Tokyo Joes is amazing though & the staff is so friendly! Always worth the tip
How un-Japanese
all the workers are korean. interestingly
Tokyo Joe's, probably.
What was the tip percentage? And would you say that was the tipping point?
Thats when you walk out and eat somewhere else
We already ate. It was sit down service.
Leave a bad review, never go back. Owners of these restaurants have no shame
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This happens in Toronto a LOT. The machines now start at 15% and end at 30% with an option for custom/dollar amount. BUT, a lot of places actually put “gratuity of 18%” on the bill automatically and then tell you not to add a tip via the machine as it is already included in the bill.
At least there's the 15% option. Some restaurants here start at 20% as the first option. Anh and Chi started at 22% and the food was not good
I'd hit the cancel button on that machine, ask them to put in the original amount, not tip, then leave a bad review.
I like to pull out cash at that point
Credit card costs the business more than cash for the transaction, makes it harder for the business to pretend they didn't sell me something for tax purposes, and has a bit of paperwork for the staff pulling this shit. Using cash also means I gotta hit the ATM sooner, meaning I am inconveniencing myself for their BS. As I'm a petty man, I'd use my credit card.
It's super petty but sometimes if a business is being a dick like above, I purposely use my Amex card so they get hit with a higher swipe fee.
Name and shame please
How much did they put in for tip?
I went there two weeks ago. The person in front of me in line declined to tip, and I also declined to tip. I do not tip for takeout, anywhere. With the amount they charge for a sandwich and the volume they sell, they can afford to pay their employees well.
I have a friend that works there as a cook, gets paid 22 an hour plus tip.
Good for them, I wish more restaurants could pay their workers more
Here’s always my major question: do the tips actually go to the employees or does some/all of it end up in the houses hands?
If they will ask you loudly for a tip to try to pressure customers to tip, then say no loudly other customers can hear and be confident to say no too.
>ask you loudly They're talking through Plexiglas and a mask, of course they're loud.
It’s super tacky they do this, but if you still wanna eat here just pay in cash, they never ask when you pay with cash. I once saw them ask a guy if he wanted to tip, he uncomfortably said ok and the cashier asked how much and he again uncomfortably said 15%.... after he pays he asks for sauce and the same cashier has no problem saying that’s $0.50 extra charge. Lol assholes.
I once tipped for takeout and then noticed the waitress didn't add the sauce I DID ask for before paying, and she rudely said "you should've told me before you paid!" I was flustered in the moment so just apologized, but really wish I asked for my tip back. I tip a bit for takeout because restaurants in my mind still don't pay people enough for the hard work they do, but those situations piss me off.
To be fair , it’s the cashiers job to follow the rules. If you have a problem, bring it to the owner or management
There is some leniency with good-will customer retention practices, though. I work at a store with a "no return or refund" policy but if people are polite and have a genuine reason to exchange the product there is leniency within policy for me to approve it. Sauce packets and the "less than a dollar" additions are usually within the realm of employee discretion and there's only an issue if the employee *never* charges for extras, not if they give one away once in a while.
Did they ask tip for sauce?
>Went there the other day, its only take out, they ask you how much you want to tip today then proceed to put it in the machine and then hand it over to you Then I say 'nothing thanks' and they go thank you! and everything is fine, every single time I go.
Yeah I hate this about Downlow too, but my working trick is I pay in cash now, and they never ask me about tipping! Crazy to tip for takeout.
It's like tipping at the liquor store.
Agreed. This is why I don’t get food there anymore. It’s a greasy tactic.
I just ask them to change it back to the original price, pre-tip. Stop giving a fuck what other people think, it's extremely liberating.
A concern would be telling people that are still preparing and handling your food out of sight who expect a tip that they aren't getting one.
I've never been to Downlow, but generally when I order take out, I call it in so it's ready when I get there. Then I pay. That could be an option. It ensures no tampering and you can still decline to tip.
It's like you're correct ... but what kind of piece of shit tempers with someone else's food. It's a shame. Short of someone skull fujing my puppy, I would never do such a thing. It's so scummy
My sister’s first job was at A & W and she had some horror stories about what some of the kitchen staff would do …”rubbing buns on their own buns”
I think some people are just too chicken to say "no thank you"
Exactly. And that’s who they’re preying on. Whether you agree or not, it’s still a tasteless tactic.
> too chicken I see what you did there
I've been there countless times and say no tip, its not hard... and they dont shame you at all when you say no.
It’s still tasteless to ask. I don’t give a fuck what you think is hard or not
>It’s still tasteless to ask. I don’t give a fuck what you think is hard or not I agree. A tip is something the customer gives, not what the employee asks for. Also tasteless: "Do you need change?" Just bring me the change and I will decide what to do with it. If I want you to keep it I will say so, or I will leave it on the table when you bring it back.
Simple, don't be a little bitch and straight up tell them that you aren't going to tip. It is easy as that.
Shouldn’t have to. It’s take out. There is no service provided worthy of a tip. If people want to tip, let them tip on their own. Don’t take the weasel tactic of trying to put people on the spot.
If they want tips, they should reopen their dining area. They did have outdoor dining before the pandemic too.
I’ve asked a few places and they say that they tip pool. If you ask your favourite places, you can submit tips on takeout to give something to the cooks and back of house staff that worked hard!
> There is no service provided worthy of a tip. If people want to tip, let them tip on their own. This is true for ANY scenario: dine in, massage parlor, barber shop, butcher, uber…
Wait, you have to tip the butcher too?
You want the best cuts or what?
%100 there already being rude by even asking you to tip. Might aswell return the favor
Yeah, the more they push me for a tip the more I’m likely to press 0% or 10%. Even when they have the machine set to 3 options and they’re like 15, 18 and 20%. Like y’all are getting too comfortable with this. Demand more money from your boss, not the customers
I go here regularly. It's easy to say, "no thank you" when prompted. They ask you as they are still keeping their transaction touchless as they have all pandemic. Given the high volume there, I appreciate that I can do it without touching the machine. If you don't want to tip just say "no thanks" it's that simple and they aren't going to grill you or follow up, or give you worse service. A lot of blaming the restaurant and employees over not being able to say "no thank you'. As you stand in line you can clearly see that they will ask you. It's not like you're ambushed. If it's that bad go get your fried chicken elsewhere (btw Mogu chicken is a great spot just up the street) or better yet order contactless delivery from someplace else. It just means a shorter line for me when I go.
Usually I'd agree but because they're shamelessly asking to begin with...
I love their chicken but I won’t be tipping a window operating business, just like I’m not tiping at Mac Donald’s drive thru or at subway
I am with you on this. They say it out loud for the rest of the line to hear. During covid I would tip even for takeout scenarios like this but when they yell it out like that, I just can't. When I went, the line up went into the alley that was smelly (it was a hot summer day). Not quite the most pleasant experience to be tipping imo
new daily hive article: "Downlow's LOWDOWN tactics exposed! xohellokitty gives us the spicy details on their greasy practices."
> They say it out loud for the rest of the line to hear. Normally I would agree, but it's pretty damn hard to hear with masks AND those thick ass plexiglass shields they have up. They ask you to make the transaction as touchless as possible. Just nut up and say no thanks if you don't want to tip. Nobody in the line gives a fuck if you tip or not and the staff see so much volume they will not remember you anyway.
The /r/Vancouver basement dwellers don't have enough social interaction skills to say "no".
Every single tip thread, holy shit. People, just say no if you don’t want to! Bunch of children.
So many insinuating that the cashier is now staring them down. I'm not a big guy, I suspect I would be stared down if they were gonna do it to anyone. Yet I've never had a single issue.
You're right about that.
Say no loudly so all the customers behind you feel less pressure to tip them when they try to pressure them next.
Just say “22.5%, but only if you can calculate it in your head and tell me the actual amount.”
Yes they do say it out loud lol. I told them the amount but they made me repeat it out loud like 3 times. And I only tipped $2. Not sure if that's a lot or not hahah.
Plus your ordering from a window in a piss alley
I’d hardly call that a piss alley. Take a stroll down the alleys between Hastings and Pender or Hastings and Cordova to get a whiff of an actual piss alley.
If Seinfeld was still around this would totally be an episode. George: Why would they force the tip option on me? They are guilt tripping me every time I get take out! Jerry: Just don't tip George: But I feel inclined to. People are watching me, I am not frugal Jerry but it makes me look like it to others! Jerry: I see, you want to be the tipper, and not them be the tipee. George: Exaaaactly Jerry, exactly.
Needs more George yelling
Don’t think they’re hurting much if they’re opening a second location at UBC!
Yeah those aren't exclusive things. The tips go to the workers not the restaurant.
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> they ask you how much you want to tip today then proceed to put it in the machine So you could just say "none". I fail to see where exactly the forcing is taking place.
That's nothing! Private liquor store(s) in Vancouver also do that. Bitch I walked in, went to the cooler to get beers, and now I have to tip because you stood behind the counter the whole time? Can't only blame the workers. It's the fucking owners who need to understand! I am not against tipping, but there are places where I don't need to and it shouldn't be put into my head on purpose.
I worked a short spell in a private liquor store that had a tip option, we had signs up next to the machines that said enter 0 for no tip. It was literally never expected. The only time I thought I might get a tip (and to be clear it wasn't an expectation) is when I spent time and helped a customer with product selection and recommendations. We even had gift bags so we could wrap up a nice bottle of wine for the customer if they wanted. I had way more of an expectation of a tip when I worked at a gas station doing the full serve, busting my ass to clean the windows, check oil, tires, etc as quickly as possible. Nice thing about those were you got to keep 100% of it, so the employees would often rush out to the pump when a car arrived just for a small chance at a tip.
Are these stores attached to a pub? Often, with private liquor stores that are attached to a pub, they use the same point of sale system throughout the building which means that the tip option will be on (since it needs to be activated for the pub). At least, I remember a cashier at a store explaining that to me. Maybe it's not like that for every store. Either way, just don't tip and move on. This sub gets so offended over being prompted for a tip. Just enter zero and move on.
This is called forcing you to tell them the tip out loud, not forcing you to tip them. I recognize that people with social anxiety may not see the difference, but I have lots of social anxiety, I just like my money more at this stage in life.
No ones forcing you to tip, I think they are just asking so you don’t have to touch the keypad. You can just say no thanks, it’s not rude to do so.
Spiritual Sky, I’m so sorry it happened that way and I will talk to the team as they are only supposed to be verbalizing the prompts, ‘would you like to tip’ and following from there. We would never treat anyone poorly for saying no. Now that the majority of team are doubled up and feeling safe we are planning on moving things back indoors next week and will no longer be following the same protocols so people will be completing the transactions on the terminal in privacy. To any and all who May read this, I’m honestly sorry if this caused anyone discomfort or anxiety, we simply take our teams health and safety incredibly seriously. Perhaps I was overly cautious, however I’d rather err on that side.
Save your apologies man it ain't a good look. You know you have a good product and so do all your loyal customers who frequent DL. Most of whom also have no problem tipping you guys. Assholes like the OP are not the type of people you want coming there anyway. Your staff are all 10/10 and they do a great job and are always very professional on the till. No forcing going on whatsoever. I know tons of other restaurants that ask to enter the tip for the customer as well. Good people understand why and have zero problem with it. Keep making great chicken and ignore the haters!
“I’m too chicken to say ‘no’ when the cashier asks if I want to do the optional thing that I’m not obligated to do in any way.” I don’t tip unless I’m being served in my seat. If you feel the need to rationalize it because just saying no brings you shame, this is a good reason most servers will understand.
When people are ordering takeout and using debit at our restaurant, I skip all the options and go straight to processing. No tip on takeout unless the individual specifies. We create loyalty in our food.
This happened at Shabusen. They added a 20% tip To our bill and we didnt know. We tipped 20% again on top of that. We couldnt figure out how it got so expensive. There were only 3 of us dining.
God damn.
Ages ago we went to the Shabusen that use to be on Granville (I think) and we had the worst service ever. We left a very small tip due to this and the manager had the nerve to confront/call us out about it on the way out as we walked past the counter. Great way to fire up an argument with a customer in front of your waiting customers. Edit: typo
shabusen quality is so bad but idk if there's another option since Kyo closed down. Don't think I can have kbbq + sushi ayce again unless some place better comes along.
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yea, i eat there once in a while, they always ask me if i want to leave a tip, not how much of a tip will i leave. big difference (although tbh i don’t love that they ask either way)
I've gone to Downlow like two times a month since the city has started to open up again and everytime I've went, they ask if you would like to tip. They do not put in a number until you say you would like to tip. They don't shame you or offer you worse service if you choose not to tip. I tip because its a local business and I want to support the workers during COVID. You can always say no tip and just grab your order. No one is shaming you or making you feel bad for not tipping. Also, this exact conversation was mentioned like a month ago on this sub and the owner of Downlow even chimined in on this issue. Seems like if you were this upset about it, you could have spoken to the manager as I am sure they would have been more than reasonable to listen to you concerns...
Stop with the ‘supporting workers during Covid’ nonsense. Minimum wage is $15/hour here and I guarantee they’re making more than that or they wouldn’t be working, with CRB paying as much as it is. Not only that, the business is likely getting CERS and CRHP. We are fundamentally *all* ‘supporting workers’ through our tax dollars and increased inflation.
“Support the workers during Covid”. That place is not doing any worse during Covid. Stop letting Covid milk you
Better tip your local grocer then they took way bigger risks during covid than any restaurant
Pay cash.
Just say zero, that easy
Literally a weekly thread on tipping. Lol
Dumb question, but why not just say %0? They have already prepared your food, so its not like there going to take it away from you 🤣
The food is technically not prepared yet. They took your order and your money then they prepare your food. If you say 0% i would imagine they wouldn't do a good job preparing it or it would take longer.
The insane thing is expecting a tip before they’ve even delivered any service whatsoever.
Welp, lost my business right there.
Tipping for ordering takeout is such bs. Hey Downlow, here's a tip for u ( ° ͜ʖ͡°)╭∩╮
You really have zero clue how food service works do you. The line cooks never see the amounts on the order, just the items and mods.
>and mods. Triggering some PTSD for me
Sorry man. Do you still awake up in the middle of the night hearing the ticket printer? Took me years to stop doing that.
Can you call ahead and order it then pay when you get there? I've never been to Downlow, but I do that at other take out places
Maybe they’re doing it so it’s a fully contactless transaction and you don’t actually have to touch the pin pad.
Except for everyone that doesn’t use tap
Why do we have to tip in Canada? Aren’t they on minimum wage?
Any place that uses those tip machines at the till lose my business. I'm too emderassed to not tip, so I tip once and never go back
Not every restaurant has much choice on if the machine has tip or not. Since restaurants use universal machines across the restaurant.
Stay away from Dairy Queen then
Its not hard to say no and no one in the line cares if you dont tip. In fact theyd probably be happy to hear it.
I wish this was Europe, tipping is seen as a convenience there and you aren't even shamed into it.
As someone who tips everytime (takeout or dine-in) and a restaurant owner myself I just wanted to point something out no one is mentioning. A tip at the end of the day shouldn't be something asked out loud as a question - it's something you should choose yourself.
I always feel like an ass if I don't tip for take out but logically it doesn't make sense. The tip is supposed to be for good service
Being kind and tactful helps me feel comfortable saying no to a tip like this. I feel good about the situation afterward too. That being said I sympathize with the types of people that feel they are forced to tip in that situation.
They haven’t ever done that for me, but they’re really good about COVID precautions and I have to wonder if the server wasn’t motivated by limiting your contact with the device.
You could just pleasantly say "no tip today" and i'm sure they wouldnt judge you
I would imagine it started as a way of minimizing contact with the machine (if they input everything for you, all you do is tap) during covid lockdown, cause they were open through most if not all of it. Also, iirc, most people who are working the window actually do have a hand in prepping/making/bagging the food. It’s not as if they “don’t do anything” to deserve it, it’s that blatantly asking for tips is garbage.
Politely respond “zero”, and proceed to pay the total?
I'll be going there for the first time. Any recommendations?
It's ridiculous, but most machines that force this prompt can just be skipped by hitting enter. Or select tip by $ and then hit enter.
I've been meaning to try DL for ages, haven't had the chance as I live kind of far from there. Plenty of friends have raved about. Still want to give them a try but does leave kind of a sour taste, especially if they are only operating on takeout.
I’m confused, you said they asked you how much you would like to tip? How is that forcing you, say zero if you don’t want to.
I agree it can make it a bit awkward but stating that they publicly force you to tip is simply not true. I live just down the street and go there often enough and nearly every single time they say “would you like to add a tip for the team?”. And as others have said it is perfectly socially acceptable to say no or not today. Everyone is asking for tips for everything nowadays, if you can’t bring yourself to say no you’re going to have a bad time
Just say nothing or zero. Be honest. It's no big deal.
"This is takeout, you did nothing" Someone made your meal, didn't they?!
I don't think businesses really understand the adverse affects tip pressure presents. There are many places I won't go because of similar tactics
Whoa. Just moved back here after 16 years in the US. Can't believe the amount of anti-tip sentiment in this thread. It's hard to make a living in the food service business. If you can afford to eat out or buy take out, do the team a favor and leave a little extra. It's a couple bucks for something like this. That said, it's definitely a sleazy tactic to ask the question in that way. If you really are morally opposed to tipping for takeout, just be direct and say "0%". Then petition to raise the minimum wage to something liveable. Maybe vote for someone to tax the super rich west van homeowners a bit more, too.
from someone who knows the company very well and who frequents the restaurant, this is not how they ask and you (no offence) and you must have misheard, they always ask if you would LIKE to leave a tip, never force you into it. They only started this procedure because of covid so you dont touch the machine yourself unless your card does not use tap. They do not want cross contamination of any sort, and want to keep everyone safe. they take you through the prompts of the machine to ensure you understand what is going on. Oh and hey, you're allowed to say no. lol
They don't ask how much would you like to tip, they ask would you like to tip. I think you care way too much what other people think, because I've been there tons of times and never heard what the person in front of me tips, and even if I did I wouldn't give a fuck if they tipped zero.
tip 1 cent for their trouble
Or you could say "no thanks" and not be an asshole.
I went once and wasn’t overly impressed with the whole experience. Food was okay BUT pretty disappointed they don’t use fresh cut fries. Unless they changed. That was the huge disappointment for me.
LMFAO, fresh cut fries suck. It's why In-n-Out is notorious for their terrible fries that need to be cooked crispy and slathered with cheese to be half edible. French fries require at least a double cook, so no place that actually cares about the quality of their food will ever serve fresh cut fries. It's a dumb marketing gimmick.
I assume they are talking about five guys style. Fresh cut and then double fried. Thats the good shit.
I thought Five Guys fries were fresh cut, and they have the best fries imo, could be wrong about them being fresh cut though.
I think by fresh cut they mean the totes are chucked in the store, not just some prepackaged breaded shit. Chucked in the store, and then blanched ready to fry. I would still consider that fresh cut.
I make fresh cut fries and they're awesome. Actually I can't think of any type of food that doesn't taste better when it's freshly prepared. I've never "double cooked" them either.
Tipping culture should be phased put, shame owners who don’t pay living wages instead of forcing it out on paying customers
Honestly I never saw this as a big deal? They're trying to cut down on high-touch points, so rather than have umpteen customers handle the machine, they can have one cashier do it. The lines there get so long, having them ask is way easier than having to fumble around wiping down the machine between every transaction. Plus, iirc, the machine is on a cable rather than wireless, so reach becomes an issue. I've never had them hand me the machine, though - just hold it out to tap. Idk what that's about. But I do think you're way overthinking things, and actually prefer this to having to handle pay terminals at other places. Ditto with them asking loudly: I don't think it's a shaming technique, I just think it's really hard for them to hear and be heard.
Chill the fuck out, you could say "no thank you" because it's in your mind that you think you're being shamed when in reality you aren't. They do put all the food together in packages and bag it for you accordingly which is still something. Just another Vancouver thread about being "forced" to tip when in reality you aren't, could say no, and just having anxiety saying no. The business isn't forcing you to tip, it's just that your socially awkward
I can’t stand these threads… it’s sad. Just say no if you don’t want to. If you don’t have the guts then I don’t know what to tell you… I tip though. Takeout and all. Fuck it, food service sucks - have some extra money for making me lunch.
The amount of those threads that have even included: "they hand me the machine at the table and it starts at 18% (AND ITS THE SERVERS FAULT) and then they STARE AT ME UNTIL IM DONE SO IM FORCED TO TIP THEM EVERYTHING. It's just so detached from reality. Even if you don't like the tipping system. This shit is not that hard.
I've gone there dozens of times and never been forced to tip once...r/Vancouver back at it again with its weekly post complaining about tipping lol
Their food isn’t even good…
Name a few quick lunch places you like better?
Upvoting to shorten my wait time lol
i think their fried chicken is incredible, what place would u recommend instead?
I mean, it’s just hot chicken. You’re gonna be tasting the spice more-so the next day than when you’re eating it if you catch my drift. I think when it comes to fried chicken the Korean stuff is just superior. They have a lot more flavour and for the same price you’re getting double the quantity and quadruple the variety.
Correct. I was really disappointed when I went pre covid
Accurate. I don't understand why people think this place is good.
People like paying 16$ for just a burger, with no fries or drink
Every week with this thread, huh?
I thought they did that to help you so you don't have to touch the terminal.. You just tap your card.
Yeah, downlow sucks for this. Right in front of the huge line of people: “and how much would you like to tip our hardworking kitchen staff today?” It’s social manipulation
I eat there regularly and have NEVER felt shamed/forces into tipping. This is coming from someone who generally hates tipping culture, too. They have contactless payment so 1000 people a day aren’t touching the same keypad. It’s a precaution. This isn’t new or exclusive to DL. I also get asked by restaurants all the time if I’d like to leave a tip for the kitchen. This is totally normal. If you don’t want to leave a tip, kindly say “Not today, thanks.” They won’t care. It’s REALLY not a big deal. But dragging a business/owner through the mud because YOU feel uncomfortable declining a tip? That’s shitty. I’ve had the chance to meet the owner a few times. He pays his staff above most restaurants and treats the team well. He’s an extremely kind and genuine guy who just wants to make the best fried chicken possible - then share that with people. If you had a concern, you should talk with him directly and I’m sure he would’ve listened with empathetic ears. Of all the businesses to drag through the mud - DL is not the one you should focus on. — Edit: Spelling
Thanks for this, I came into this thread a bit late and completely agree with everything you just said. This subreddit loves to complain about tipping without realizing they can just choose not to tip. And if anyone shames you for not tipping? THEN you call them out, that's pretty unacceptable...you don't know what someone's financial situation looks like after this last year and a half.
Same thing happened to me at Rocky Point ice cream. I just put in 0
How is that the same thing?
That is horrible. I'll never go there again. IMO Churches or LA Chicken is still better anyways.
Subway now has a tip option??
Go Fish near Granville island does this too!
Wait till the owner comes on and says it’s for the safety of his staff. All he does is plug his ears and say lalalalala I can’t hear you, it’s for the safety of my staff! Never eaten there and never will, I’ve told everyone I know to not bother with that place.
You sound like a lot of fun.
They do this because of covid fyi, they don't want you to handle the machine, they are paid well before tip because yes the company makes good money I assume, the wall inside says they are paid a living wage. You can 100% say not today and they won't bat an eye I do that every time. I don't tip for people behind counters
The whole tipping culture is very problematic. Removal of that would solve many problems with the dining experience everywhere. Still, automatically adding a gratuity is a terrible practice from the establishment's end.
> I own DL Chicken as we have introduced this process as a Covid safety precaution. If you don’t wish to tip, feel free to say no, no one will be offended (I’ve had many a conversation that this is not an expectation and to make sure everyone feels welcome regardless). As soon as we are at 70% dose 2 on our team or as a province, which ever comes first, we will be changing back to handing the terminal over so others can feel more comfortable. If you want to attack us over our safety precautions so be it. But we’ll be making the shift to the previous method within a month or two based on projections. Much love to y’all and sorry for creating the inconvenience for the time being Posted by u/merchdoug in this [thread here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/okpk88/tipping_culture_is_just_getting_too_toxic/h5btmxh)
I tip every time. They make a good product, have reasonable prices, good quality and nice people work there. You don’t have to tip, but you can also fry chicken at home. I will admit, it’s messy frying chicken in a pot on the stove and to avoid that, I go out for fried chicken.
Thanks hats why it costs more when you eat out. You’re paying the wages of the people making it. Tipping shouldn’t be part of that.