Tipping Point

Every so often, someone floats this idea, which is that we do away with tipping in this country and just tack on fixed service charges to instances where one is now expected to tip. This particular proposal is a little different from others I've seen. They were all about how it would just spare us, the tippers, from having to do math or even wondering what the proper percentage is for a given situation. (I'm still not sure, when I go into a restaurant and pick up a "to go" order — or when I dine at a buffet — what's appropriate.)

This one says that we'd benefit because better, more responsible folks would be attracted to the job. Maybe. But I can't recall having too much trouble ever with waiters or servers because they weren't dedicated or able human beings. My problems in that arena always flow from decisions made by management — not having enough servers or commanding the ones they have to do silly things.

The most notable in places I dine, and it seems to be a growing trend, is that if you take a respite in your consumption — i.e., stop eating for a sec — your server is supposed to be right there to simultaneously say, "Are you still working on that?" and attempt to snatch your plate away. I don't get why they do this since almost none of these places are crowded to the point of having folks waiting for tables.

I'm also tired of the occasional hardsell on desserts, especially of those big productions that you have to order before you get your entree — "You'll really love our Chocolate Rose Bowl Float with eleven varieties of ice cream, complete with caramel and marshmallow drizzle in the design of the Rose Parade Queen. But it takes twenty minutes do prepare so you have to order it now." You kinda wish they'd be more candid and say, "We're afraid if we don't sell you the $12.00 dessert now, you won't want it after you're stuffed full of pork chop."

That too is a management policy. I really can't think of any problem I've had with the waiter or waitress for a long time, other than these things the boss tells them to do. That, and the fact that most restaurants just plain don't have enough personnel on the floor so you practically have to haul out Semaphore flags and wag them to get someone to come by and refill your water glass.

What I think might be a good idea is if restaurant checks had a little box where, instead of entering a tip amount, the diner could just check a box that said, "Add 15% Gratuity" or maybe "Add 18% Gratuity" or both, also leaving you the option of writing in an amount instead. I'm guessing someone's experimented with this and found that if they specify a low percentage, it leads to lower tips…and if they plug in a higher number, it leads to patrons feeling pressured to tip big. But maybe if more establishments tried this, customers would get used to it and we'd move towards standardized tipping. I wonder if servers wouldn't prefer it just because it would make their financial lives a bit more predictable.