The turmoil over tipping
October 6, 2009
The topic of tipping always manages to raise everyone’s dander. It seems like everyone has their own idea of whom and how much one should tip.
I believe in tipping generously, especially in restaurants where the servers don’t make minimum wage, and, in some cases, split tips with other staff like bus boys and dishwashers. I consider 20 percent to be the standard tip for good service.
Sit down restaurants are pretty easy, but it’s getting increasingly difficult to navigate the waters when it comes to tipping in other establishments and types of services.
Tip jars have popped up everywhere. And in some cases, I’m not sure the person deserves a tip. For instance, if I go to a restaurant or café where I stand at the counter, order my food, pay for it there and stand and wait for someone to pass it across the counter, does that mean I have to leave a tip? I tend to say no.
Recently my mother and I got into a discussion about tipping the pizza deliver person. I said I usually leave a standard tip of $4 or $5. (If I order pizza in particularly inclement weather, I tip more. I figure if the pizza guy is going to risk life and limb to bring me a pizza in a snow storm, he deserves extra.)
My mother tips based on the total cost of the order, as one would do at a restaurant. My point was that if she orders a plain cheese pizza, and I order a gourmet pizza, the pizza delivery person drives the same distance whether or not there is cheese or artichokes on the pizza, but the cost of my pizza is more. Her point was that it’s the same in a restaurant if she orders chicken and I order filet. Touché!
I’m not even going to get into all the other areas of tipping, but it seems more and more those in areas of customer services are expecting, and in some cases, demanding, tips.
Apparently I’m not the only one who has noticed or takes exception to this. MSN Money columnist Liz Pulliam Weston wrote this article about tipping. She found herself in a particularly awkward situation when it comes to tipping.
What are your thoughts on tipping? How much and whom do you tip? What do you think about tip jars?
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