Are Americans too tip happy?

[musicprnt]

<p>In effect, waiters and waitresses, given how little they are paid, are more like contractors then employees, in effect with tips we are paying the waiter/waitress to get our food and such, since very little of the cost of the food represents the employees wages. Especially on things like wine, beer and liquor, the house has incredible markup (that 8 buck glass of wine costs them less then a buck), in effect we are contracting with them to get our orders and such and the dinner bill is payment for materials alone. I only wish they were paid better, but that is how restaurants work and they are exempt from even minimum wage standards and the reason was because it is expected they will get tips (not all that different from strip clubs, where in many of them the girls actually pay to work there, and share a percent of their take with the house as well). </p>

<p>That said, a tip is still for good service. If a waiter/waitress is inexperienced or is trying but struggling, or it is crowded and they don’t have enough servers, I can understand that, likewise I can’t punish a server if the kitchen is fouled up, which in my experience is more common then the server screwing up,I won’t punish them for it. I do resent being told to give a tip no matter what, I am pretty soft hearted, but if I get an indifferent server who doesn’t care and has an attitude like they are doing me a favor, I will not tip as well or at all, and will tell them why.</p>

<p>In terms of where to tip and not, that has expanded over the years. Up until not that long ago tipping was not allowed or at least not common in delis or fast food places, that is in recent years, that generally was relegated to personal services, either a waiter/waitress or delivery person. Likewise, it was traditional to tip delivery people with heavy items like appliances (you didn’t have to, but it was appreciated), or with things like hair cutting and such, things where it is personal service. With the nail places from what I can tell tipping started when the waves of nail places opened up in recent decades. The people who work in those places don’t make a lot and tipping, like with waitressing, kind of was seen in the same way, as a way to help them make a decent wage I suspect.</p>

[soccerguy315]

<p>

One tipping oddity I’ve noticed. Go to a ballgame and buy a beer. Most people tip the person who brings them a beer. Get a hot dog and soda, very few tip. How did alcohol become a “must tip” and not other food items.

</p>

<p>from my experience at sporting events, if you buy something from one of the people walking around the seats, you tip. If you go to the concession stand, you don’t.</p>

[Hondu]

<p>

And it won’t only be “bad service” they bring you. Though you won’t know.

</p>

<p>Maybe this is one of the reasons we prefer to prepare our meals at home and generally don’t eat out no more than once a month. At least this way we are able to control the ingredients.:)</p>

[T26E4]

<p>My in-laws eat out not infrequently. After one very nice meal, my dad was his customary self and left a generous tip: $40-50?</p>

<p>As we were walking out to the car, the waitress came out and asked if there was anything wrong with her service since only $5 was found on the table. Puzzled, my dad told her what he indeed had left. She said: “I’m very sorry. I know what the problem was.” My mother in law went inside and saw the waitress speaking to the mgr and the busboy – who had pocketed the money.</p>

[Hunt]

<p>

As we were walking out to the car, the waitress came out and asked if there was anything wrong with her service since only $5 was found on the table. Puzzled, my dad told her what he indeed had left. She said: “I’m very sorry. I know what the problem was.” My mother in law went inside and saw the waitress speaking to the mgr and the busboy – who had pocketed the money.

I guess putting the tip on the credit card at least prevents this from happening.</p>