The implication is that 20% the widely accepted minimum "good tip" rate, and consistently tipping 15% is consistently being cheap. Especially when you're a tech worker FFS.

Let's break out of our echo chamber a bit. In the US, tipping isn't "paying more than required," it's basic manners. You can argue until you're blue in the face about how businesses are to blame, but the vast majority of society, who have no big beef with tipping culture, will find you cheap rather than discerning.

If 20% is the expected then they can price that into the food rather than this stupid charade where we don't know the price but are expected to know the price. 15% is perfectly fine.

Actual data shows the average tip is 16.1%

https://qz.com/189458/the-united-states-of-tipping/

Those are tip numbers reported by Square. Original reply was to comment about tipping at restaurants, not POS tips. I found 16.1% surprisingly high for Square tips, actually. But even then, 15% is below average.

Plus being from Square I imagine the data will be biased by the suggestion to tip / preset amounts.

I'm in Canada whre 15% is considered "normal". I did not know 20% was the normal in the U.S.

20% is not the normal minimum in the US.

Edit: here are some supporting links.

15-20% suggested with 20%+ recognized as a minority opinion and for extra good service: http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/02/travel/experts-guide-to-tippin...

The highest tipping state averages 17% and the lowest averages 15%: https://qz.com/189458/the-united-states-of-tipping/

Agreed; 15% here in Canada is considered normal/polite/nice, but I also believe our wages for service workers are higher. The USA "$2.13/hour for tipped worker" feels like both business AND government forcing you to pay employee wages...

Canada minimum wage: https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/minwage.p...

Liquor Servers Minimum Wage $9.90/hour

Some people have been claiming that 20% is normal for the US. But many people believe 15%. There are even some people who claim that 25% should be the norm.

You can definitely get away with 15% at places where you don't regularly eat. I do 20% at regular places where the waiter will remember me for sure and I don't want them to get the idea that I don't like them.

It is not basic manners and nobody cares what you tip except current and former waiters that were getting ripped off by the owners.

20% extra on top for doing your job shouldn't be expected.

Did you know that in most states wait staff can be paid as low as $3 per hour, under the assumption that tips will bring them up above minimum wage? The law literally assumes that customers will tip them. It's not just a nice custom, it is fully expected in the transaction.

Accusing people of being "cheap" is the lamest insult anybody can come up with. Try again.