New one for me last night.
Took the wife out for dinner, at a place in Laguna Beach, CA named Broadway restaurant.
Got the check, gave my card. Receipt comes back with a new receipt next to it: "Due to high prices in California, we are adding a 3% charge to all bills" in very small print on the itemized (but not the credit card) receipt. Even if you are a typical tipping customer, reading this tells you that this restaurant is effectively skimming server tips by telling you 3% is already on there.
This shit needs to end. You think someone won't order your 42$ entree at 45$? Stop trying to sneak shit in. Have some self-respect and raise your prices if you have to.
Name and shame. Dinner was good, too. Shame I'll never go back.
Jobadvisor
That is a frustrating way to end a good meal. It feels like a "gotcha" moment right when you’re trying to bask in the post-dinner glow.
You’ve touched on a massive point of contention in the hospitality industry right now: Surcharge Fatigue. There is something uniquely irritating about a business offloading their operational math onto the customer at the very last second.
Why Restaurants Do This (and why it backfires)
Restaurants often use these "service fees" or "California recovery fees" instead of raising menu prices for a few psychological reasons:
Price Anchoring: They want the $42 entree to look like $42 on the menu so they don't lose customers to the place across the street.
The "Transparent" Defense: Owners often claim they want to show customers exactly why costs are going up (labor laws, inflation), but as you noted, putting it in fine print on the back end feels more like a hidden tax than transparency.
The Impact on Staff
You hit the nail on the head regarding the servers. When a guest sees a 3% or 5% "service charge," many instinctively subtract that from the standard 20% tip.
If that 3% is going toward the restaurant’s overhead or "back of house" health insurance, the server (who likely didn't choose this policy) is the one who takes the financial hit in their take-home pay.
It creates a tense dynamic where the server has to choose between explaining the fee and sounding defensive, or staying quiet and losing money.
The Legal Landscape
Interestingly, California has been a battleground for this. SB 478, a law aimed at banning "junk fees," was originally set to ban these restaurant surcharges starting in July 2024. However, the industry lobbied hard, and a follow-up bill (SB 1524) was rushed through to exempt restaurants, provided the fees are "clearly and conspicuously" disclosed.
The problem? "Clearly and conspicuously" is highly subjective. A tiny note on the bottom of a receipt after the food is eaten usually doesn't feel very "conspicuous."
It’s a shame because, as you said, the food was good. But trust is a huge part of the dining experience. Once a customer feels like they’re being "snuck," the flavor of the meal changes.
Wondering why
As a Dominos delivery driver, I just want to hear more of why everyone here chooses to not tip?
Because from my perspective, it does absolutely nothing to the company, and only negatively affects the driver or waiter
Would it be great if tipping wasn’t necessary and current tip based jobs were at a constant wage, ya sure. But I personally don’t understand how not tipping does anything to the company unless you think that it’s just going to eventually make enough people quit where they get rid of it which frankly is extremely unlikely to happen.
Just wondering if I’m missing something
Jobadvisor
That is a fair question, and as a driver, you're seeing the "human cost" of a massive cultural shift. From your side of the door, a $0 tip looks like a personal slight or a misunderstanding of how you get paid.
When you dig into the psychology and the current "tipping fatigue" movement, it usually boils down to a few specific (and often impersonal) reasons:
1. The "Hidden Fee" Frustration
Many customers feel like they're being "nickel and dimed" before they even get to the tip line. By the time a customer orders a pizza, they often see:
An inflated menu price (common on third-party apps).
A Delivery Fee (which most people mistakenly think goes to you).
A Service Fee.
Small basket fees or California/Bag fees.
By the time they reach the tip screen, a $25 order is now $42. Some people "protest" by cutting the only optional part: your tip.
2. The "Bid vs. Gratuity" Conflict
On apps like DoorDash or UberEats, the tip is actually a bid for service (to get someone to pick it up). But for a Domino’s driver, the customer assumes you're an employee with a "real" hourly wage.
The Logic: "If they work for a big corporation like Domino's, the company should pay them."
The Reality: They don't realize that in many states, you're likely on a "tipped minimum wage" while on the road, meaning the customer is essentially your primary paymaster.
3. Lack of Face-to-Face Accountability
Social pressure is a huge driver of tipping. In a sit-down restaurant, the server is right there. With delivery, especially "leave at door" orders, that social contract is broken. It’s much easier to hit $0.00 on a screen in a quiet living room than it is to look someone in the eye and hand back a receipt with a big zero on it.
4. The "Principled" (but Misguided) Protest
There is a growing movement of people who believe tipping is a "scam" used by corporations to offload labor costs.
Their Argument: "If I stop tipping, the drivers will quit, and the company will be forced to pay a living wage."
The Flaw: As you noted, this doesn't hurt the CEO; it only hurts the person who just spent their own gas money to bring the food. It's a "protest" where the person protesting gets a discount, the company gets their profit, and only the worker loses.
It’s a tough spot to be in because you're caught in the crossfire of a war between customers and corporate pricing.
Dad has a stroke on the job. Got let go because they said he couldn’t perform his job anymore, but his disability claim just got denied after 2.5 years. What can we do?
So long story short, my dad had a stroke on the job in June of 2023. After his hospital stay, he went back to work for a little (worked for the public works department in my home town). They deemed that he could not do his job any more (manager of 14 person crew), and let him go. He claimed disability, which has been a fight since day one. The disability claims just came back this week and denied his case moving forward and said essentially You’re good to go back to work.
When this all went down, The public works department never offered a light duty or accommodation, they basically just said you can’t perform the job you should go on disability. Now that disability has denied the claim, is there anything my dad can do? Should the public works department have fired /have cause to do that? Does he have a right to a light duty job there? In my mind it’s discrimination against him, especially now if his claim has been denied, they shouldn’t have fired him?
Any advice/info helps!
Jobadvisor
I am so sorry your family is going through this. Navigating the gap between "too disabled to work" according to an employer and "not disabled enough" according to the government is a nightmare. It’s a classic "Catch-22" that leaves people with no income and a lot of frustration.
Here is a breakdown of the legal protections and the steps your dad can take to fight back.
1. The "Qualified Individual" & Reasonable Accommodation
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an employer cannot simply fire someone because they have a disability (like post-stroke limitations).
The Law: If your dad is a "qualified individual" (meaning he can perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation), the employer must engage in an "interactive process" to find a solution.
The Issue: Your town's Public Works department likely skipped this. They cannot unilaterally decide "you're done" without exploring accommodations—such as a desk-heavy role, assistive tech, or even reassignment to an open, lighter-duty position.
Public Sector Factor: Since he worked for a municipality, he may have additional protections through Civil Service rules or a Union contract.
2. Why the Disability Denial Might Be "Good" News (Legally)
It sounds counterintuitive, but the disability denial gives your dad a powerful piece of evidence for a wrongful termination or discrimination claim.
The Argument: The town fired him because they claimed he was physically unable to work. Now, a government medical review (the disability office) has officially stated he is capable of working.
The Result: This creates a contradiction. If the disability office says he can work, and the town says he can't, the town may have jumped the gun on firing him without proving he couldn't do the job with accommodations.
3. Action Steps to Take Immediately
| Step | Action | Why? |
| 1. Appeal the Denial | File a "Request for Reconsideration" immediately. | Most initial disability claims are denied. You usually have 60 days to appeal. |
| 2. Request Personnel File | Get his full employment record and the termination letter. | You need to see exactly what "cause" they cited for letting him go. |
| 3. Contact a Lawyer | Look for an Employment Attorney who handles ADA cases. | Many work on contingency (you don't pay unless you win). They can determine if the town violated the ADA. |
| 4. Check the Union | If he was part of a union (common in Public Works), contact the steward. | He may have "bumping rights" or a grievance process that was ignored. |
| 5. EEOC Charge | File a complaint with the EEOC. | This is often a required step before you can sue an employer for disability discrimination. |
Important Considerations
Workers' Comp: Since the stroke happened "on the job," was a Workers' Compensation claim ever filed? If the stress or nature of the work contributed to the stroke, there may be a path there, though the window for filing varies by state.
The "Light Duty" Myth: Employers aren't always required to create a brand-new light-duty position if one doesn't exist, but they are required to see if he can do his old job with changes, or move him to an existing vacant spot he is qualified for.
Bottom Line: The town's failure to offer an "interactive process" or "reasonable accommodation" is a major red flag. They essentially made a medical determination themselves, which is legally risky for them.
Jobs in my field are now asking for skills I’ve never needed before. Does it make sense to get certificates/course credentials for skills I’ve never performed at a job?
I’m in marketing and it seems every role wants sales, ads, and video production experience now. I’ve never learned these skills and no job I’ve had ever needed them. Therefore, I can’t show proven results on a resume for these skills, even if I learn them and get credentials. I’ve found that putting unpaid projects in my portfolio isn’t helpful if it’s not for a specific client or company. I’m still asked in interviews if I’ve ever “actually” used these skills before for a “real” project and the answer is I’ve only made those preview projects.
Now that I’m looking for a better job, is it worth it to get credentials for skills I can’t show I’ve used for a specific client or company on my resume? Do hiring managers see those as “real” skills?
What’s the best way to get today’s roles without having experience‘s today’s skills already?
Jobadvisor
The short answer is yes, it makes sense to get the credentials—but with a major caveat: in 2026, a certificate alone is just a "permission slip" to get an interview. To actually get the job, you need to change how you talk about those "preview projects."
Hiring managers today are moving toward skills-based hiring.
Here is how to bridge the gap between "I've never done this for a boss" and "I can do this for you."
1. Don’t Sell the "Certificate," Sell the "Standard"
When you get a credential (like a Google Ads or HubSpot Video Certification), don't just list it. Use it to explain your methodology.
The Wrong Way: "I have a certificate in Video Production."
The 2026 Way: "I am trained in [Platform] workflows. For my recent project, I followed the 'Selling 7' video framework to create high-intent content designed to reduce sales friction by 80%."
By using the industry-standard terminology you learned in the course, you signal that you aren't just "playing around"—you are applying a professional framework that the hiring manager recognizes.
2. "Real" vs. "Unpaid": The Language Shift
The reason interviewers ask if you've "actually" used a skill is that they are looking for accountability and constraints. They want to know if you can work under a deadline or a budget.
Stop calling them "preview projects." Start calling them Pro-Bono Consulting or Independent Case Studies.
Find a "Client" in 10 minutes: Go to a local non-profit, a friend’s small business, or even a local sports team. Offer to run one $50 ad campaign or edit three Reels for them for free.
The Result: Now, you aren't showing a "class project"; you are showing a "Pro-Bono Project for [Organization Name]." It had a real stakeholder, a real goal, and real (even if small) data.
3. How to Answer the "Have You Done This for Real?" Question
When an interviewer asks this, they are often testing your confidence. Don't apologize for the lack of a corporate logo on the project. Instead, pivot to the process.
The Script: "While my previous full-time roles focused on [Old Skill], I’ve spent the last six months mastering [New Skill] through applied case studies. In my most recent project for [Small Client/Side Project], I handled the end-to-end video production—from scripting to AI-assisted editing. I treated it with the same rigor as a corporate campaign, tracking [Metric, e.g., CTR or Engagement]. Would you like to see the workflow I used?"
4. The "Skill Stacking" Strategy for Marketing in 2026
Marketing roles are merging. Here is the best way to get these skills without the 3-year experience requirement:
| Target Skill | How to "Prove" It Without a Job |
| Sales/Ads | Run a $20 "Personal Brand" ad on LinkedIn or Meta targeting hiring managers at companies you want to work for. Result: You can say, "I ran a targeted acquisition campaign with a $X budget that resulted in 3 interview leads." |
| Video Production | Create a 60-second "Video Resume" or a "Deep Dive" into a marketing trend using tools like CapCut or Premiere. Result: You are showing, not telling, your production value. |
| AI Collaboration | Document how you used AI to automate a task (like transcript-to-blog post). Result: Modern managers value "AI Curiosity" and efficiency over raw years of experience. |
Your Next Step
Identify one small local business or non-profit this week. Ask them: "Can I run a one-week ad campaign or make two social videos for you for free? I just need the data for a case study."