The truth about tipping

December 6, 2005 | George

[Prime Choice]

Employers should be prohibited from using their employee's tips to establish a lower minimum wage for their tipped workers.

And the Socialist Red Herring Award Goes to...(drumroll)...

[TChris]

Thanks for posting this! Good information.

Employers should not be permitted to steal tip money from their employees!

[ClearCase_guy]

Tipping seems so European. "Here you are my good man. Thanks ever so much for clearing these dishes. Now, be a good chap and fetch me a brandy."

I think's it's elitist and unAmerican.

[AmericaUnite]

Not all businesses do this. The people I know who were subjected to this usually had a creep for a boss. Sorry, 20% is all I can afford.

[BluH2o]

My policy when tipping is usually in the 15% to 20% which is fairly standard. However, when I use my credit card most times I tip with cash ... no tip amount on the credit card slip.

[HEY4QDEMS]

The tip credit also allows businesses to take or credit part of their employee's tips for themselves.

Kinda like a commission advance for a typical salesman. I don't see a problem with it personally.

[vin-one]

call to arms!!!!!!

I am not going to be able to sleep tonight...........because of this issue.

[Marxbites]

The answer is to abolish most of the IRS and regulations that choose favorites like they always do.

[2banana]

I got no problem with this - as long as the IRS gets a free yearly audit of all people who make most of their money from tips...

[tfecw]

Whiel I can't speak for the rest of Europe, tipping isn't customary in Germany.

Of course they know where it is and count on Americans to tip them.

[TheBigB]

$10 per dance, but only if she's fully naked.

[frogjerk]

I think's it's elitist and unAmerican.

It is totally capitalistic and very American. If someone's service is worse than adequate, they will get less for their services.

Unfortunately, there are people out there that are cheap and will never tip, and then complain or file a lawsuit when they get horrible service.

[Vaquero]

I tip as I feel it is warranted in a particular situation. Here in NY when sales tax was around 7% it use to be said to "double the tax". now I tip up to 20% depending on the service but not on the food. the waitress has little or no control in that department. As far as owners of restaurants setting salaries?? we live in a capitalist society and being restraurants are exempt from minimum wage laws....I feel it is the business of the owner to set a wage, not me.

[Nick Danger]

[saveliberty]

I was just there.

It is customary now, even among non Americans.

[billorites]

I love Bitterwaitress.com and particulary enjoy browsing their shitty tipper database.

[Forest Keeper]

I really need some Freeper help on this. My wife turns the big 4-0 on Friday and I am going to take her on a private horse drawn carriage ride through a Christmas light display in a public park. It is sponsored by the public park system, costs $70, and lasts 20 minutes. Is this a tipping situation for the driver, and if so, how much? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[dollar_dog]

Tip pooling is despicable.

As for tips themselves, the good waiters prefer the current non-pooling system because they make far more than they would with a minimum wage.

But restaurants that pool tips and give a cut to the salaried manager are evil, and there needs to be a law passed prohibiting that.

Also, FYI, if you don't tip at least 12.5%, you are seriously screwing the waiter, because the IRS taxes him/her based on them receiving a 12.5% tip per meal. Therefore, if you skip out on the tip, the waiter not only loses out on needed income, but is paying tax on it.

For those who despise all tipping...go to a restaurant in Europe sometime. You'll quickly see the genius of our system.

[loreldan]

So are you saying that employers are allowed to takes tips from the server? I was a waiter through college (10 years ago) and my employer never even saw the tips I made. it was my choice how much I would tip the bus boy, hostess, etc.