Guilt Tipping? It's a Ballot

Americans are tip crazy. Do you need to compensate for low wages? Tip because you are inspired to do so. I learned this long before the pandemic. At the time I patronized many restaurants. Some servers profiled me as a single man who doesn't drink.

Imagine this- the ones who exerted an effort and were friendly were compensated. The ones who did not care- why should I care about them? Tip as if the service were so good you want to be served by them again.

Even if you are traveling and only visit that establishment once. Anyone who receives good service and does not tip is a jerk. What are you going to do with that five dollars or so?

A former colleague works at The Waffle House. We are out of contact and she worked there. It's a tough job. You work really hard and if breakfast costs six dollars your tip might be pocket change.

Meanwhile, companies expect everyone to tip everywhere. I have not seen the tip option at self checkout. I rarely use self checkout and cannot say if the money will actually go to the employees. It will probably go to management and not trickle down.

Follow the money. When people give negligible service like at cash registers I have no problem with the No Tip option. You are merely doing your job. I was taught in bartending school (the brief course that led me The Phoenician where I was never allowed to serve the public behind a bar.) that tips are for going above and beyond.

While I had many devil-may-care waiters every day at work I visited a local 7-Eleven. Refilling a Big Gulp led to friendly service consistently. I was treated better with thirty-two ounces of Diet Coke than I was by people whose job depended on gratuities.

There is no shame in not tipping when you see no reason to do so. Just because it is on the screen- one cashier harrumphed when I did not tip. That did not make me change my mind. It also inspired me to stop patronizing a halfway decent restaurant.

Your patronage should be enough. If you want to tip- there is a Chinese buffet where the option to tip before the meal is offered. The service is too hit or miss to gamble that someone will care enough to do the job.

If I am ignored and dirty plates remain on the table for an extended period of time- if they don't care about me, why should I care about their bottom line? If someone is a bad waiter they can find something else where they might do better. If you reward poor service you do not deserve stellar service. If they ask for a tip without doing what you consider tip worthy, don't tip. It was optional with a tip jar. It should not be an obligation.