11.26.2007

Tipping

I've had an issue with "tipping" for some time now for several reasons. One being it has come to be expected, regardless of the service. Two, the variety of situations for tipping has increased. And three, our income has grossly failed to keep up with the cost of living, which means many of these services are things we can barely afford. The tip? Forget it. And given most of these employees are making more per hour than I am, I have absolutely no guilt over saying "no" to tipping.

It's time to make a stand. Until I am paid a living wage, I will no longer be tipping. Period. And given restaurants have raised their prices approximately 20% just this year alone, well, sorry folks. If you're gonna pass along your expenses to the customer, don't expect your employees to receive a tip in today's slave wage society.

I heard a report this morning about tipping and the holidays. Tipping delivery drivers and store clerks. WTF? And get this, tipping the mail carrier. These folks make very decent money. They NEED to be tipped? "Oh, thank you mail carrier for delivering my mail. For doing your job." And considering the post office has agreements with marketing firms to deliver those unwanted pieces of junk mail, there's no way I'm about to tip any human being for delivering this unasked for garbage.

Think I have ever received a tip when I've turned in a piece of work for a needy student?? Think my spouse does as he waits on the public all day?? Hell no. We would each receive a lot of grief if either of us "expected" such a thing.

I mean come on, where does it end? Next thing you know we'll be expected to tip our doctors. "Thanks for taking 5 minutes of your time to give me that shot in the ass and the pharamaceutical pill. Here's $10."

When the reporter discussed tipping the housekeeper, I knew she was out of the loop, so I turned off the tv. Who are these idiots talking to? The top 10%? No one I know has a housekeeper, regardless of whether or not they can afford one.

You know, if this society were truly fair and just, we'd either have all workers making a living wage or we'd have a sliding scale fee on all goods and services.

Maybe then, I would feel better about tipping.
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3 comments:

crallspace said...

While I understand what you mean and agree that tipping is out of control, you must remember, the servers do not set the rules for the restaurant.

Forget tipping the mailman, but waiters put up with a lot of crap. If they go out of their way a 15-20% is in order. IF they hook you up with free stuff, then more is in order. Servers out here make more than I did in IND (2.15 an hour + tips). Out here, minimum wage + tips takes care of them. But, come on. If you are going to go out to a place like McGrath's or Big River, those people need to make a living too. And on top of serving, there is the sidework, the putting up with asshole co-workers (there is no restaurant with a staff over 10 that doesn't have its share of assholes) and a generally unrewarding job.

We don't eat out at restaurants as often, cuz it generally costs more. At buffets, I never tip more than $1. I mean, thanks for the water and for picking up the ONE plate.

1:09 AM PST
crallspace said...

Drunk posting... please excuse.

1:09 AM PST
Nina said...

yeah, i know these people work their ass off. i've worked in restaurants in the past, usually waitressing and yeah, you work hard and have to take a lot of crap. i understand that.

but i also know what my income is and there certainly isn't anyone standing up in the way that needs to be done about poverty level wages. we simply can't afford to do the tipping thing anymore, especially since food costs skyrocketed 20% alone the past year (our insurance just jumped up another 8% as well). enough is enough. i know i don't want to be forced due to economic reasons to not eat out on occasion because we can't afford the prices plus the tip. something's gotta give. i'd feel better if restaurants wouldn't have made the decision to pass on their costs to the customers and instead struck some sort of a balance so that tipping would be more doable.

but in today's insane world of MONEY MONEY MONEY over people people people...

of course if i ran the world, we would ALL be paid a solid living wage with full benefits and thus, tipping would either not be needed or would not be out of reach for so many of us. but i don't--yet. :)

3:05 PM PST

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