Your Under Arrest - Your Tip is too Small

Be warned! A small tip can make you into a criminal

[Warren]

I must admit, coming from a non-tipping culture giving a tip is a difficult thing to do. Now I am even more worried about it, seeing you can go to jail!

[news.com.au...]

Taveras, 41, was charged on September 5 with misdemeanour theft of services after he and fellow diners argued with managers at Soprano's Italian and American Grill in Lake George, New York over a required 18 per cent tip for large parties.

Thankfully charges have been dropped.

[Hunter]

"non-tipping culture"

Just take a job in the US that relies on tips and you'll quickly get the picture.

[Essex_boy]

I dont tip, I think its a way for very poor employers not to pay their staff decent money besides I think its demeaning for the receiver.

Against it.

[bcolflesh]

...I think its demeaning for the receiver.

Exactly - I even go so far as to walk through any place I eat and take all the tip money that's still on the tables - thus saving face for countless servers!

[Essex_boy]

Hmm isnt that theft....

[Reflect]

I used to, in a former life, manage restaurants. On this article it is not tipping, it is tipping for a party over x amount. This is to gaurantee that the server who comes in for the shift to just wait on that party ONLY and no others makes money. It is thouroughly explained that it is a mandatory line charge on the bill and is agreed to when making the booking.

Coming from a country that tipping is a standard I think this is prudent and makes sense but hey I have been on the receiving end when I waited tables so I can relate.

On the flip side my tip % goes down when good and prompt service is not received (unless I can see they are swamped).

Take care,

Brian

[SlowMove]

I think it all works out the same. If everyone stopped tipping, prices would rise so that people in service industries would make the same amount of money that they make now. When someone doesn't tip, those that do are keeping the prices down for them.

[Chndru]

>>its demeaning for the receiver.

Aye! If someone tips me to do my job, you bet, i be offended.

[beren]

Hey, I've lived in the US my whole life, and I don't understand tipping entirely either. How do you know when you're supposed to tip? Nobody tells you.

[mfishy]

I think its demeaning for the receiver.

roflmao!

[saoi_jp]

My first time eating out in Japan, I left a tip on the table, only to get chased down on the street by the waitress. She's got the tip in her hand, and I figure she's telling me it isn't enough. I try giving her more. It turns out, she thought I'd left my money there by mistake. There's no tipping in restaurants in Japan.

[Warren]

No tipping in Australia either.

Having said that, as we get more and more Americanised, it is starting to happen a lot more. Even thought our resturant staff are paid a sufficient hourly rate to live.

Can't have it both ways.

[defanjos]

I have dinned in restaurants in Europe and the US, and I can tell you, that working for tips almost always results in better service.

I've noticed that the service in Europe is usually poor, and in the US, out of 50 times, maybe you'll get bad service once.

It seems like waiters in non-tipping countries don't give a cr** about their jobs. They are poorly paid, so why should they bust their behinds - there is no extra incentive (tips).

Of course....., I could be wrong.

[lgn1]

In some countries, resturants can pay their staff less than minimun wage, which I belive is totally wrong.

Resturants should be forced to pay their staff, comparable wages for comparable work. So tipping becomes a sole discretion for good service.

The resturant is responsible for pay their staff, not the patrons. And if the resturant can't afford to pay the staff decent wages, then raise the price of the food.

I remember a steak house in Canada called <snip>. Back in the days they could pay under-18's less than older staff, they use to fire everyone on their 18th birthday, so they did not have to pay them more, regardless of how good of an employee they were. I don't know if anybody took them to court for age discrimination, but I have never eaten their in the past 20 years, due to their mistreatment of employees.

[edited by: lawman at 8:25 pm (utc) on Sep. 18, 2004]