I don’t think there are any laws regarding tipping in the US either - at least as far as I know. It’s an unwritten courtesy that people are encouraged to follow 
If you start doing things just because there’s no law against it, you’re doing the wrong thing.
Hello people… I was just stopping by to say hi to a few people and I saw this thread. I’m out of the opinion business entirely so I wont chime in on this… I just wanted to throw something out there that I found out recently. The information comes from Ron Kueby a pre-eminent lawyer in the US.
Eilsoe - "I never go anywhere where tipping is mandatory… IMO it’s just plain rude to charge for anything else that what you consume. Waiters and the likes get their monthly paychecks. However, I will tip a waiter if the service from that person was exceptionally good. "
If a charge on your bill is listed as “tip”, or “gratuity”, it can not be manditory. Recently a resturant in NY called the cops on, and had arrested, a patron for failing to pay for his gratuity charge. He was found innocent due to the wording “gratuity” on the bill and how the law prevents manditory compensation for any gratuity charge.
It was already posted.
But it’s probably good you reposted, I had a hard time finding it myself, I just knew I had heard the story already.
If I was ever in a restaurant that required tipping, I would probably consider foregoing the waiter entirely and doing my own service. There’s nothing ethically wrong about doing things yourself and giving the waiter a break.
I haven’t read the whole thread but I personally think there’s something wrong with the server, waiter, waitress, waitstaff … whatever the PC term is this week, that thinks I ‘owe’ them something.
The word gratuity stems from the word grace implying that I’m appreciative of something. If the wait person does a great job serving me I am gracious and give them something extra out of my own generosity. I’m already paying for the meal, so I’m not cheating anyone by not leaving a tip. If the wait staff needs more money then the restaurant should pay them more.
It irritates me to no end that in this day and age tips are now obligatory, I have to give one or I’m a cheap skate. That’s messed up, people can give the worst service and if I don’t tip them atleast 15% for DOING THEIR JOB I’m the the jerk. Give me a break.
I am a good tipper and if a waiter or waitress goes out of their way to make sure I’m enjoying my meal, that’s great, they deserve a tip. But when I get the toothless bimbo that brings me my coffee with a curly hair on the side of the cup, and burps as she walks away I shouldn’t be expected to tip. Or when I have to wait an hour and a half for my food, and then the waitress never once fills up my water, I shouldn’t be expected to tip.
So the restaurant is busy and the waitress can’t get to me, so hire more waitresses! The understaffed and underpayed waitresses plight is not my problem. As a customer I’m paying for my food (usually paying too much for what you get but that’s the convenience of eating out) I’m supporting the restaurant and keeping her employed. And then I’m expected to pay atleast 15% extra on top of the 8% sales tax. I really wish this sounded ridiculous to someone other than me b/c then maybe things would change.
Bottom Line: If your friend the waitress at TGI Fridays does a great job at my table, she should absolutely get 15% or more. But if she slacks and makes me feel like she has more important things to do than be my waitress, which is what she’s employed there to do, then I’m not obliged to give her any tip at all and she should know that the 10% I would give her is only out of my desire not to look like a cheapskate.
</rant>
have a great day everyone, thanks for giving me a thread to post about an issue that frequently annoys me as I eat out often, and anyone who eats out often innevitably recieves bad service some of the time and should be pissed off that they’re expected to tip.
oops… my bad. I just didn’t want anyone getting screwed for a lack of info.
peace out people…and always tip your waitperson (lol)
