Maybe you need a European vacation. In many foreign countries there is no custom of tipping, I forget if this is because there just is no tipping or if it is because the “service charge” is added to your bill. In fact, you’ll notice in some touristy places in NYC, etc. a notice to foreign guests that the tip is NOT included.
Nevertheless, in this country is it customary to give a tip to one’s server. Hopefully they didn’t totally s*ck at the job. Hopefully you have some nice places to eat out at.
If they totally s*ck, why would you patronize that restaurant again?
But tipping for waiting services is not part of the “entitlement” mentality, it is part of our customs and the free market. Persons who work in restaurants make an hourly wage that is WAY lower than the minimum wage (about $2/hr vs. $7/hr) because it is anticipated that they will be tipped.
It is also true that in many high-end restaurants servers are required to “tip out” to busboys, bartenders and other staff based on the CHECK and not the tip, so if you stiff them, you really stiff them, because they then STILL have to tip-out to their co-workers based on the price of your meal.
We have a lot of problems in this country, and lousy restaurants might be one of them, but tipping waiters isn’t.
Sorry to go on and on about this, but so many in my family did and do work for tips.
Oh, so they aren’t “entitled,” they’re just “anticipating.” I see.
Amen, sister. I made something like $2.38/hr when I waited tables. It was just understood that you made your living through tips. When a customer didn't understand this we just figured they were Democrats or were raised by wolves.
I do remember being surprised the first time I heard some foreign friends complain about American waitstaff. They called them nosy, intrusive, bothersome, and constantly interrupting. This from people who ate accustomed to 2 hour meals in nice restaurants. On the flip side, my trip to post communist Hungary was met with waitstaff that was surly, slow, bored, and uninterested. The food was wonderful though!