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>>Those are the rules established, polite people live by them. Those who choose not to deserve to be excluded from a restaurant at the owner’s choosing.<<

I do a lot of traveling around the US. The rules are different in different areas. And they are not laws. They are rules. Although I tend to abide by them. If I get lousy service, I will take advice I got from a guy over three decades ago: I tip a dime.

Rules change, btw. That is what those who put tip jars at dry cleaners, Starbucks, et-al are banking on.

I think our economy is changing the tipping rules. In my case, the restaurants have ceased getting my business, for the most part.

I do not disagree with you on any point in the post, except maybe on the dime tip. If I get lousy service, I stiff them and rarely will go back to the same place.

However, one guy who goes on a regular basis to the same restaurant, always stiffing the hired help, is a jerk and deserves to be 86'd.

If I get lousy service, I will take advice I got from a guy over three decades ago: I tip a dime.

I remember going out to lunch with my sister and her husband once long ago. The restaurant chain that they decided on wasn't exactly known for service or cuisine, but that was where they wanted to go (they had an affinity for something called a "grand slam").

The service wasn't deplorable - just indifferent. My sister left a single dime as a tip. We were walking out through the parking lot when the waitress came out and threw the dime at us, shouting "Here, you cheap b!tch - you need it more than I do!"

It was all I could do to keep from laughing at these two dolts who proceeded to argue at each other at the top of their lungs. We all got banned from ever returning - which suited me just fine.

It amuses me to see that the whole tipping paradigm hasn't gotten any more rational as I've gotten older...