'Watch' and 'See' if I Tip You

That's it, I quit.

As if enough of my rights aren't being ripped out of my 'american' hands, increasingly it seems restaurants, hotels and other service industries are collaborating to take away the one last position of power we 'americans' hold over those who provide service: the tip.

The tip (to improve performance) is becoming an endangered species, being replaced by 'automatic gratuity',’ service charges' and 'resort fees.'

The tipping point: Will service charges replace voluntary gratuities?
By Laura Bly, USA TODAY
Starting next week, diners who snag a coveted table at celebrity chef Thomas Keller's pricey Manhattan restaurant, Per Se, won't need to worry about calculating a gratuity as they linger over a Valrhona chocolate brownie or glass of vintage port more...

Before your imaginative, cynical minds lead you to the assumption that I am some cheap bastard, afraid of having to pay anything extra for a good meal, nice atmosphere and clean sheets, I want you to understand that I am a good tipper. -- I am.

Now I digress, the point of this senseless rambling is not to impress upon the fact that I am a much better tipper than you; I am up in arms for a whole different reason.

Many see the 'automatic gratuity' as the solution to supplementing the income of the chronically low paid service worker.

Who are they kidding?

The chances of Marcy in housekeeping reaping the benefits of the 'automatic gratuity' are about as good as her getting that fifteen minute break they promised her two years ago.

Service fees will no doubt go back to the overhead costs of the building, utilities, amenities and such, leaving the embittered, low-paid service worker still doing the job they once were compensated (extra) for doing well.

What does that leave me: lousy service or the option to tip extra.

I don't like those options much.

Let me tip what I Think is appropriate and I'll do that at my discretion.

This is an open call for everyone to express your displeasure with any establishment moving towards this violation of 'basic human rights'  and for any one working in the service industry, please a public outcry is in order (trust me, no one is into tipping twice!


My Own Personal Tipping Strategy

Just as a gentle suggestion, I’ll go even as far as describing my tipping strategy for the common restaurant experience.

There are certain guidelines:

1. Prepare to spend $10 minimum when you walk into any restaurant. This covers a tip on any deserts or small item orders (fruit cup, salad etc.) Avg. 40-50% tip.

2. After eating a proper meal: Mediocre service at min. 15% tip. / Good Service 20-25% tip.

3. Under no circumstance (short of first hand knowledge of food tampering) should you tip less than 10%. Use alternate means to show your dissatisfaction. “Excuse me may I speak (kindly) with the manager?”

4. (This one is important ! ) If your server has been so kind to forget to add an item or perhaps left off the extra charge for that house salad, pay no less than what the total would have been and in most cases add 10-15% to that.