In a message dated 6/3/2004 4:01:13 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I think there is a whole education programme that needs to be undertaken there by nations who tip! You pay people decent wages, you don't rely on them begging, because that's what it is, really. I'm not the biggest proponent of the tipping culture, but I think that American Restauranteurs make the argument that the customer receives better service in a tipping situation. In the US the pay structure for waiters and waitresses assumes 15% tipping. In fact, since tips are often in cash and easily hidden, I believe the government taxes waiters as though they have received 15% tips on all their tables. So, when you fail to leave a tip you are not only depriving the staff of their gratuity, but they have to pay tax as though you had left a gratuity. I have to say that this makes you very disinclined not to leave a tip even when the service is poor because you don't necessarily hate the waiter so much that you want to pick his pocket, but some people do. People who like to entertain and want their guests to have a good time tip lavishly, go to the restaurants where they are known for tipping lavishly, and always get excellent service there, from what I understand. I don't think I would characterize it as begging, because some people are excellent waiters and make very good tips and some people are very indifferent waiters and get poor tips. When I had a young child with me I often found the waiter had to spend more than the ordinary amount of time with us, cleaning up spills, etc. Most of them were very pleasant and accomodating and got very good tips as a result. Devon
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