What about my accountant or tax preparer? Or the lifeguard at my neighborhood pool? Or my Wal-Mart greeter or clerk? Don’t these people work hard for their money? Shouldn’t they be tipped as well? Where do you draw the line for who gets tipped and who does not? Or are you going to just selectively cherry-pick who gets tipped and who does not?

I can remember 25-30 years ago, or however long ago it was, when it was “usual and customary” to tip 10% for a meal with good service. Then it became 10-15%. Then it became 15-18%. Now some even say 20%.

Keep in mind that if food prices increase at the inflation rate of 3-4% per year, and we all know they’ve gone up far higher than the overall inflation rate over the past year, if you increase a tip from 10% to 18%, then a hundred dollar restaurant tab doesn’t go up by $8. It goes up by somewhere in the magnitude of $8.24 to $8.32.

Most people are too clueless to realize how much they are paying for tips, especially compared to years ago, and particularly compared to people in other countries. In most of Europe there is little if any tipping compared to in the US. And don’t tell me the service is better in St. Louis compared to Berlin. I’m not buying that.

Restaurants should ensure that their prices on the menu fully reflect the whole dining experience, both food and service. And they should pay their staff a living wage with good benefits. But of course that wouldn’t be the American way, would it?

My experience in Europe where I was stationed in ‘81-’82 was that you didn’t have to worry about trying to figure it the tip. It was already on the bill. Gratuity.

And what was the percentage, slamfist? I bet it was way south of 18%.

I’m a 20% tipper myself. Doubling the first digit on the bill is just easier on my math-taxed brain. If the service is noticeably lax, then it’s 15%. Min wage is $6.65/hr. Personally, I don’t know how anyone can survive on this alone. I remember when I made a whopping $3.35/hr (min wage) in the 1980’s I would be able to buy one movie ticket and maybe a soda and/or popcorn. But the current $6.65 hour’s worth of work wouldn’t buy me even one movie ticket at the matinee. If restaurant service work actually paid good money (e.g. wage PLUS tips) then we’d all be doing it.

Mr. Delmore, your issue isnt with paying customers, its with the restaurant owner who wont pay you an amount that doesnt include tips.
On a side note, why should you deserve “extra” money for doing your job?

Tuck,

If you are concerned about a waiter making $6.65/hr., does that mean you are equally concerned about Wal-Mart greeters and stock clerks making the same (and no health care coverage)? If Wal-Mart service work actually paid good money (e.g. wage PLUS tips) then we’d all be doing it.

I took my family to Branson last week and was shocked at the number of elderly and middle aged people working at jobs that have traditionally been for teenagers. One gentleman that had to be well into his eighties served me popcorn. Silver Dollar City has numerous people older than me (I am 38), employed.

They worked with alacrity, but the thought that these people have to do this is disconcerting. I tipped 25% and respected my elder’s.

sej - I don’t know why you’re making this such an issue. It’s more than just a little personal after 3 postings, isn’t it? Yes, I think people should be paid more, but that’s not the issue here. The TOPIC is about tipping and thinking of those that may earn min wage or are in a position of earning tips…typically those in service work. I do tip the waiter, the hotel doorman, the hotel maid, the bellman, the skycap, etc. Those personal to me such as mailman, yard man, child’s caregiver, etc I take care of at Christmas. These are traditional tipping positions and established long before I became of age to earn money. The writer also mentioned that if anyone is in a financial position to continue tipping, then to not forget, etc, etc.

If you want to start some anti-gratuity movement, then be my guest. I really don’t care. I just have a feeling that somewhere along the way you’ve been accused of being more than a little cheap and it’s given you reason to make this your personal vendetta against the big bad tipping issue. Move on sej.

While a bit off the tipping topic -
There are more “mature” (ie, boomer folks and my own pre-boomer category) working now for at least six reasons:
1. Many did not plan that well for retirement/anticipate the big increases in various needs;
2. Many boomers are on the beach from prior employ for various reasons;
3. There are more service opemings available than, say, 10 years ago;
4. There are simply more older and still-healthy people around now, again for various reasons;
5. There are fewer teens in the job pool to take the jobs available (and, of course, many teens consider service jobs “unsatisfactory…”);
6. Many employers will hire an “older” person over a teen because of reliability, a better work ethic, and an established “work attitude.”

Tuck,

Just because someone posts a lot doesn’t mean it’s something personal. If that were true, then most people on pretty much every post would be guilty of that, if talking about something personal is even to be considered “guilty”.

“I think people should be paid more, but that’s not the issue here. The TOPIC is about tipping and thinking of those that may earn min wage or are in a position of earning tips”

The topics of tipping and how much someone should be paid (by their employer) are inextricably linked. You can’t talk about one without the other.

“These are traditional tipping positions and established long before I became of age to earn money.”

There are many issues that were established long before we came of age, such as abortion, slavery, racism, women’s rights, etc. That doesn’t mean we necessarily have to agree with each of them, or disagree with them, for that matter. God gave each of us a brain to think, reason and form opinions with. It was not intended that we should just take things as they are just for the mere fact that they’ve been well established for a long time.

“I just have a feeling that somewhere along the way you’ve been accused of being more than a little cheap and it’s given you reason to make this your personal vendetta against the big bad tipping issue. Move on sej.”

Cheapness is relative with respect to a). time and b). culture. As I mentioned before, someone back in the 70s could tip 10% and not be considered “cheap”. In the 80s they could tip 15% and not be considered “cheap”, but they would probably consider 10% as “cheap”. Today, if someone tips less than 18 or 20%, they are considered “cheap”. Go figure. And Americans today would probably label most Europeans “cheap”, even though in most cases the level of service is pretty similar.