99Percent

Yes. You stole a dollar that didn't belong to you.

Walross

Can't wait for you to work a service job....

Alonzo Fyfe

This is one of my favorite rationalizations.

Your argument here is like that of a person who uses sign language to sign "this is from me" can never lie, because he used sign language rather than actually speaking. Because that is effectively what you did. You used 'sign language' to communicate a proposition that was false, and are seeking to defend yourself by saying that 'because I used sign language, rather than actual words, I did not, in fact, lie."

You lied. You used sign language to do so, but sign language can still be used to make a false statement.

scigirl

Ok Mr. Pink. Harvey Keitel (can't remember his movie name) would disagree.

Tipping is rather silly if you think about it - why can't they just charge more for the food and pay an appropriate salary? Of course, there are a great many jobs that don't get paid what they probably should get paid. For example - why don't we tip nurses that are good at finding veins, or car mechanics that don't leave your car greasy?

scigirl the generous tipper (mainly because i round everything up because i hate doing math)

Non-praying Mantis

Sorry to barge in here but...

I do a "service" job. I am a teacher. I perform a service to my students. Now, why should a bartender receive tips, but me not receive tips?

Tipping is stupid. The bartender should be paid more.

NPM

Alonzo Fyfe

I believe that 'tipping' is a useful institution. It tells the individual that their job is to serve ME (the customer), not to serve the boss. If you want employees to focus on making the customer happy you create a situation where the customers pay the employees directly -- and in proportion to the customer's degree quality of service.

On this model, mandatory tipping is stupid. It defeats the whole purpose of the institution -- you might as well simply increase the price of the product and leave it at that.

If I had my own establishment, I would make this one fact plain to customers and employees alike. "The size of the tip should indicate the quality of service you received."

Non-praying Mantis

The problem with tipping based upon the quality of the service is that the service quality then becomes based on the tip. It becomes mandatory to tip so that the service is actually present, not just good. It also makes the tippee (sp?) likely to do harmful things to the servee unless a tip is given, and only if the size of the tip is acceptable to the tippee, not the tipper/servee.

IOW, if a bellhop feels that he is being "stiffed" by someone not paying him enough, then he might feel justified to "accidentally" drop your luggage, leave it in someone else's room, steal from the tippee, etc. Tipping only creates this type of environment. Paying the server fairly would eliminate this problem entirely. If that means that the overall price of the service increases, then so be it.

Does a waiter have the justification to spit in your food the next time you come to a restaurant after not tipping him/her?

NPM

SimplyAtheistic

I agree with many of the posters above on why tipping is uncalled for. I work for a farmer and work my ass off all day for a whopping 7$ an hour. No one tips me when I deliver the seed or finish doing all the shit I am supposed to. You can't tell me a waitress works harder than me and deserves extra compensation.
Jake

Pain Paien

Originally posted by: Non-praying Mantis

Ideally, it would not work this way. Since tipping comes after the service is rendered, the server should work hard so that they get a good tip. If a server wants a good tip, they'd have to work hard for it, since they can't do anything once the service is completed. Your scenario should only come into play if the person returns to the same server again later. This situation would change if you factor in return service; the server could then possibly alter his service based on the previous tip. That shouldn't be a problem, however, if the server is realistic and the person tipped fairly.

Gawdawful

No freaking way... a quarter would be extremely generous on a dollar item. I'm in general not in favor of tipping as a general practice, the establishments should pay a living wage and forbid tipping. I abhor manditory tipping, as on parties of 6 or more which is often the policy. What if the service is lousy? I've been known to mark the manditory tip off the check and tell the manager about my dissatisfaction with his employee's level of service. I've never had one that made me pay it when I did this.

I do tip, and can be extremely generous if the service is excellent or I or my party has done something to make their difficult job even more difficult. I can also leave nothing guilt-free when service is lousy, even a surly attitude can dimish the tip, heck, even over ambitious asking if everything tastes good can dimish the tip I leave. I've often wanted to leave the kitchen staff a good tip because of good food but stiff the waiter for his attitude. Can one do that?

At my favorite restaurant that I go to several times a week, I am often seated and waited on by the restaurant co-owner and manager. The service is alway excellent and friendly, but I don't tip him, good service rewards him via increased business and thus increased profit.

Pain Paien, you did not steal a dollar, the worst you did was to not leave a tip and that isn't so wrong in my opinion. I don't care if the bartender got the impression that you left the tip, the lady's tip still got to the bartender. I'm not sure I'd have left more than a quarter tip for a cola that cost the bar about ten to fifteen cents.

Don't anyone say I need to work as a tipped employee to understand; been there done that, left it for a real job at the first opportunity. I recognize there are times when good service is hard to give because you are very busy and I take that into account when I tip. But if you aren't busy, I expect primo service and I'll compensate well for it.

I feel sorry for the poor minimum wage slave behind the counter at fast food joints, they are often forbidden from accepting tips. Good service is demanded of them for nothing extra. A smile and a complement on a job well done is all I can do for them, I hope it helps.

Warren, tipsy, in Oklahoma