Money Moral Dilemma: Should Janet pay John’s tip?

Jomo

Gareth_Lazelle wrote: »

Something that has always bothered me about tipping:

Tipping is usually paid as a percentage of the cost of the meal.

So perhaps someone could explain to me why the "excellent service" as a cheap restaurant deserves to be tipped less than the "excellent service" (or even mediocre service) at an expensive restaurant (indeed, I would note that in the cheapest of restaurants tipping is not seen as necessary at all)?

Surely if tipping is acceptable at all then it should be even across the board, regardless of the cost of the meal - if the staff are good enough to deserve it (and especially as the staff at cheap restaurants probably have worse conditions and pay than those in the nicer places),

I can't help feeling that this is an aspect of how tipping is archaic (especially the way it is seen as being "expected"), and used as an excuse for restaurants to give their staff unpleasant working conditions and pay.

Tipping is for good service and shouldn't be expected. If the service is bad, don't tip.

The percentage is given as a guide but you can tip as little or as much as you please.

Paul_Herring

Gareth_Lazelle wrote: »

Tipping is usually paid as a percentage of the cost of the meal.

With the particular percentage value used dependent on both the service received and the type of establishment. Those lacking in the former may find the percentage dropping to zero.

So perhaps someone could explain to me why the "excellent service" as a cheap restaurant deserves to be tipped less than the "excellent service" (or even mediocre service) at an expensive restaurant (indeed, I would note that in the cheapest of restaurants tipping is not seen as necessary at all)?

Nothing's stopping you from tipping if you want to - it's an entirely voluntary thing (unless it says "service included" on your bill, and you have some objection to the included service; whereupon the value of that service may be questioned with the manager of the establishment.)

Surely if tipping is acceptable at all then it should be even across the board, regardless of the cost of the meal - if the staff are good enough to deserve it (and especially as the staff at cheap restaurants probably have worse conditions and pay than those in the nicer places),

You appear to want to deny people the right to not tip at all in the case of bad service.

Gareth_Lazelle

Paul_Herring wrote: »

You appear to want to deny people the right to not tip at all in the case of bad service.

Quite the reverse, I think that society imposes that restriction already,

I feel that there is a lot of social pressure to tip regardless of the quality of the service...

And in a way (and to tie back into the discussion at hand) Janet is doing if she chooses to pay Johns tip - it is an (admittedly trivial) form of peer pressure to cough up regardless so as not to be seen as cheap.

My feeling is that in other professions staff are paid fairly (theoretically, I appreciate that this is very arguable) and then have to deal with complaints if the service is poor. The restaurant trade seems to work in reverse by paying the staff poorly and expecting the customer to pay extra for "average" service.

Nevertheless, this is kind of an aside to my earlier comment,

Fiddlestick

Gareth_Lazelle wrote: »

The restaurant trade seems to work in reverse by paying the staff poorly and expecting the customer to pay extra for "average" service.

That arguement might work in the United States where such staff really do get paid poorly, but restaurant staff here receive the same minimum wage that someone working any other minimum wage receives.