News Gyukatsu Motomura chain instals tip boxes in response to inbound tourism

[thomas]

Tipping is generally uncommon and culturally unfamiliar in Japan, including at restaurants, where it is neither expected nor considered necessary. Rather than being seen as rude, tipping is typically met with confusion, similar to offering extra money in a retail shop. However, the beef cutlet restaurant chain Gyukatsu Motomura has recently drawn attention for placing an English-labelled "Tip Box" at the register in at least one of its locations, likely in response to a rise in foreign customers. The box, containing Japanese and foreign currency, marks a rare case of a Japanese eatery visibly inviting tips.

Gyukatsu Motomura

Gyukatsu Motomura is a Japanese restaurant chain that serves gyukatsu, a breaded and lightly fried beef cutlet.

• JREF
• 28 May 2025
• Views: 875
• Category: Fast Food

Introducing tipping into that system could potentially upset its balance in all sorts of ways. If waitstaff begin supplementing their earnings with tips, employers may feel less need to offer as high of a base pay as they have been. Alternatively, if enough restaurants introduce tipping while keeping base pay unchanged, restaurants without tipping systems would need to raise their base pay in order to secure workers, and since restaurant owners are unlikely to just eat those added costs, they'd probably be passed on to consumers as higher prices. Even setting aside the issue of increased costs, there's also the possibility that foreign tourists throwing extra money at restaurants in and of itself could lead to higher prices, as a demonstration that there's a customer demographic willing to pay more than what the restaurant is charging. However, while an extra 1,000 yen here or there during a two-week vacation in Japan might not feel like much to foreign tourists who're leveraging a favorable exchange rate, adding tips, or tip-triggered menu price increases, onto eating-out expenses would be a major burden to the local Japanese population, especially as many people in Japan are already struggling with rapid inflation that's affecting consumer prices for just about everything.

Japanese restaurant chain installs tip boxes in response to foreign tourists leaving tips, sparks debate

Beef cutlet chain’s policy attracting a new wave of attention as inbound foreign tourist numbers and consumer prices continue to rise.

soranews24.com

 

[mdchachi]

Definitely hope this trend doesn't take off.

 

[Ukigumo]

Yes indeed. One of the nicest aspects of Japan is the lack expectation of tips; it removes the stress we Brits feel about the whole tipping culture- 10/15/20%? Having said that, there have been occasions in Japan, where I've receive service beyond what I'd expect and haven't had an avenue to express my gratitude other than thanking them profusely or maybe singing them a song and performing a little dance routine.

In the USA, the tipping culture is vile; tips have to be left even for minimal expected service such as one's order being plonked in front of you.

 

[Petaris]

I really hope this not only doesn't catch on but goes away entirely.

 

[Ukigumo]

Do restaurant/bar staff receive higher salaries than their US counterparts?

Do you tip pizza delivery people even if there's a delivery charge as in the UK?

 

[thomas]

Do restaurant/bar staff receive higher salaries than their US counterparts?

Do you tip pizza delivery people even if there's a delivery charge as in the UK?

I'm not sure how salaries compare to the US, but tipping is an absolute no-no in the case of postal workers and delivery personnel.

 

[Ukigumo]

Postal workers? They'd never have come to mind. I do always chat with my postie and we share training/supplement tips. If it's warm I offer him a cold can of cola or whatever. At Christmas a bottle of wine might be appropriate and I can see him weighed down by many bottles in his carrier!

So there's no tipping culture in Japan, but it begs the question, why has tipping become a dictate in the USA?

 

[mdchachi]

Do restaurant/bar staff receive higher salaries than their US counterparts?

No, it's much less. At the current exchange rate anyway. But cost of living is much less in Japan too.

Do you tip pizza delivery people even if there's a delivery charge as in the UK?

Typically yes unless it's clear that the delivery charge goes to the driver.

Postal workers? They'd never have come to mind. I do always chat with my postie and we share training/supplement tips. If it's warm I offer him a cold can of cola or whatever. At Christmas a bottle of wine might be appropriate and I can see him weighed down by many bottles in his carrier!

So there's no tipping culture in Japan, but it begs the question, why has tipping become a dictate in the USA?

In the U.S. postal workers aren't tipped although they may be given some gift card or token of appreciation at Christmas time. But I'd guess only 1/100 or fewer patrons do so. On occasion I'll offer a UPS or Amazon delivery person a Coke if it's hot and I happen to see them. But unless there's a signature requirement they're gone before I even know they were there.

Origins of Tipping in the US

• European Influence and Aristocratic Mimicry
  Tipping was imported to the US by wealthy Americans in the 1850s and 1860s who encountered the practice while traveling in Europe. In Europe, tipping originated as a master-serf custom, where servants received extra gratuities for excellent service. Americans brought it back as a way to feel aristocratic, despite early resistance to the practice as being at odds with democratic values.
• Post-Civil War Labor Exploitation
  After the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, tipping became a way for employers—especially in the railroad and hospitality industries—to avoid paying fair wages. Many newly freed Black Americans entered service jobs, and employers often paid them little or nothing, expecting them to rely on customer tips for income. This practice was essentially an extension of the exploitative labor systems of the past.
• Employer Incentives
  Restaurant and hotel owners realized that tipping allowed them to subsidize workers' pay with guests' money, keeping menu prices lower and profits higher. This economic incentive helped the practice spread and become entrenched.

This last one is what's leading to tipping expanding even to take-away fast food establishments.
Restaurants in the U.S. have tried to go no tipping but it has generally failed for various reasons.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Regarding tips, since they are received by the company, there is a possibility that it could be considered tax evasion under the tax law. If an individual receives tips personally, especially if they are a full-time employee, they would likely need to report it as miscellaneous income separate from their salary in their tax return to avoid issues. The National Tax Agency is probably watching closely, if discreetly.

 

[Ukigumo]

We had a Chinese neighbour years ago in the 80s, who worked in a Chinese restaurant, 'Mr Kuks'. For years and out of ignorance, he never declared his tips in tax returns and eventually the taxman caught up with him and hit him with a huge, crippling tax bill.

The only certainties in life are death and taxes.

 

[thomas]

On the issue of tipping in the US, I came across this article on The Telegraph today.

‘What the f--- am I tipping for?’ Why US service charges will get even worse

Americans already hate tipping, but the president’s latest tax break will cause more pain for shoppers

www.telegraph.co.uk

I wonder how our American friends are handling this. Do you tip at all restaurants, including fast-food outlets? Do you tip taxi drivers, hairdressers, delivery guys, at bakeries (!!), and anyone who renders the slightest service (for which they supposedly receive a salary)? As a tourist, I would not be too thrilled about being constantly confronted with the expectation to tip.

 

[Ukigumo]

The only people I tip are nice waiting staff and my hairdresser. I say 'hairdresser', in my case he's more of a conservator and I value his high skills!

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I confess to being brainwashed to tip. Anyone who helps me in any way and anyplace gets a generous tip. Maybe if I could not afford it , I would be different.

 

[Ukigumo]

I confess to being brainwashed to tip. Anyone who helps me in any way and anyplace gets a generous tip. Maybe if I could not afford it , I would be different.

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Tipping facilitates the habit of employers, paying their staff lower wages.

I was in a cheapo hotel restaurant with a woman with peculiar dietary habits; vegan, coeliac's, legume/bean allergy…the list went on. There was nothing on the menu she could eat without radical modification. The manager came out, listened to her issues, scratched his head and disappeared. We saw him exit the car park in his car fearing he'd resigned or something! He returned 15 minutes later with supermarket bags filled with produce and a further 15 minutes later served my friend a beautifully constructed, huge salad that was tasty and safe for her to eat. As he served it to her, her apologised for the delay He received our sincerest thanks, a substantial tip and I sent an email in praise of him, to the hotel's head office! That is service!

 

[mdchachi]

vegan, coeliac's, legume/bean

How can get any protein if she's vegan and can't eat beans or legumes??

I wonder how our American friends are handling this. Do you tip at all restaurants, including fast-food outlets? Do you tip taxi drivers, hairdressers, delivery guys, at bakeries (!!), and anyone who renders the slightest service (for which they supposedly receive a salary)? As a tourist, I would not be too thrilled about being constantly confronted with the expectation to tip.

I tip at all sit-down restaurants. 15-20%. That's been a thing as long as I've been alive although the recommended amount has crept up. 15% used to be standard, now it's 20%. Fortunately the traditional fast food restaurants (McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc) still don't allow tipping.
Most other chains such as Starbucks or Panera or Domino's may have a jar by the counter where one might deposit their change or a dollar or two.
But now payments at these places are mostly electronic and the payment system will display a prompt with easy select options to tip, such as None, 15%, 20%, 25% and Custom. So while you're doing that, the person at the register will look disinterested and pretend they don't care. (They probably really don't care but I always feel like they're waiting in judgement.)

The other confusing thing about tipping is that the distribution method differs. So you may think you're tipping the person who gave you service when it's really put into a pot and distributed to staff. It's illegal for business owners and managers to keep any of the tips but I sometimes wonder if the tips left at the Chinese take-away are really given to the staff, some who may be immigrants and possibly here legally.

Of course pizza, uber eats, etc. are tipped. That's one reason I never use delivery services. I'll just pick up my pizza myself. Which is ironic given my former career as a pizza delivery guy in which I appreciated the generous tippers. That was the only job where I ever received tips. I also worked inside making pizzas and sub sandwiches but we didn't get tips in those days. I don't even think we had a tip jar out. It just wasn't normal then.

And, yes, hair dressers. 20% is also standard. And prices have really gone up. Standard chain price is at least $20-$25 for a guy's haircut now. An actual salon will charge $30-$40 (plus tip). So I'll wait for a $15 coupon to appear and give a generous $5 tip. I'm always a little shocked by these guys that have hardly any hair, not even an inch long coming in for a full price haircut done the simple way with a hair trimmer.

 

[Ukigumo]

How can get any protein if she's vegan and can't eat beans or legumes??

She's an odd person and very slim! <shudders>

The other confusing thing about tipping is that the distribution method differs. So you may think you're tipping the person who gave you service when it's really put into a pot and distributed to staff. It's illegal for business owners and managers to keep any of the tips but I sometimes wonder if the tips left at the Chinese take-away are really given to the staff, some who may be immigrants and possibly here legally.

They recently made it a law over here that the server(s) get the tip you leave but it might be a collective pot that's divvied up at the end of the night.

Of course pizza, uber eats, etc. are tipped. That's one reason I never use delivery services. I'll just pick up my pizza myself.

They add a delivery charge over here so I don't give them anything more.

Which is ironic given my former career as a pizza delivery guy in which I appreciated the generous tippers. That was the only job where I ever received tips. I also worked inside making pizzas and sub sandwiches but we didn't get tips in those days. I don't even think we had a tip jar out. It just wasn't normal then.

I've heard male pizza delivery people very often give out their 'tips', if you get my drift Pray tell.

And, yes, hair dressers. 20% is also standard. And prices have really gone up. Standard chain price is at least $20-$25 for a guy's haircut now.

Chain hairdressers?

An actual salon will charge $30-$40 (plus tip).

The woman who cut my hair in my previous city of abode, Louise, use to cut hair at Paris and New York fashion week (which she had to pay for everything, incidentally) She was very down to earth, lovely company, gorgeous and regularly worn tight PVC dresses. I miss her….

So I'll wait for a $15 coupon to appear and give a generous $5 tip. I'm always a little shocked by these guys that have hardly any hair, not even an inch long coming in for a full price haircut done the simple way with a hair trimmer.

I have considered doing it myself or letting my other half do it. She cut it during lockdown. I looked like Moe from 'Three Stooges' .

 

[Ukigumo]

Here's the back of it from back then…

 

[mdchachi]

Chain hairdressers?

There seem to be fewer than there used to be but yes there are chains. I use Great Clips which is a franchise. Besides price it's nice because you can use an app to see how busy they are and get in line before you get there. They also use a database to keep details on how your hair is cut since stylists may come and go and you may not get the same one as previous. That way you don't have to explain every time how, exactly, you want it.

 

[Ukigumo]

There seem to be fewer than there used to be but yes there are chains. I use Great Clips which is a franchise. Besides price it's nice because you can use an app to see how busy they are and get in line before you get there. They also use a database to keep details on how your hair is cut since stylists may come and go and you may not get the same one as previous. That way you don't have to explain every time how, exactly, you want it.

Sheldon? Is that you?

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I got my last haircut in 1995 at a barbershop. I found working as a home care nurse a very hot job. Older people kept their house at 80 degrees F or more. Then on top of that , giving a steaming hot shower felt like a trip to hell. SO....I bought a set of electric hair clippers and started shaving my head down to about 1/8 of an inch. Having long hair was very uncomfortable. After I retired , I just kept up the home trim. I have a feeling I've saved a lot of money using the do-it-yourself cuts.

 

[salyavin]

I use great clips as well. The chains are the cheaper option. We do have a barber shot with a pole but it costs more. Women have options of more expensive stylists, there is even among the Japanese here an often used independent Japanese stylist who offers services here. Certainly self cutting or having your partner cut your hair is cheaper than the chains so you win there.

 

[Ukigumo]

My haircut cost £12 (+£3 tip) = $20.19/¥2904.65. How much is it in Japan/USA?

 

[salyavin]

A standard haircut at Great Clips near me (it will vary by region, I bet it is cheaper in Michigan) is $26 this is before any tip. A child or 65 and older is $24 also plus tip. This is on the low end. No shampoo, no rinse, no blowdry, just trimming hair at Noriko's salon is $40 before tip and she tries to be cheap. Prices have risen a lot these last 5 years, before corona at the same place I could get a haircut for $18 before tip and kids were $16. The cost of living varies a fair bit in the US, I am not in california or new york but I am in a fairly expensive area. Been too long since I had a haircut in Japan so I cannot comment on price.

 

[thomas]

Barrikan-san has been serving my hair well for the past two decades. Cheap, fun, and easy. No tipping required.

バリカン - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

en.wiktionary.org

 

[salyavin]